Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday met representatives of the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) sector to discuss the Covid-19 outbreak.
In what is seen as a major step to debunk rumours, the prime minister underlined the importance of countering and factchecking unsubstantiated claims of AYUSH having a cure for the disease.
He said scientists from AYUSH, the India  Council of Medical Research, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and other research organisations must come together for evidence-based research.
Modi said Ayurveda has a long tradition of keeping the nation healthy and its importance has increased manifold in the ongoing efforts to tackle Covid-19.
He said that the AYUSH network is “spread through the length and breadth of the country.” He urged the sector to utilise this network, while working according to the guidelines of the World Health Organisation, to spread the message of good practices which need to be adopted in the efforts to control the spread of the virus.
At a time when the entire is under a lockdown, Modi praised AYUSH’s ongoing efforts in promoting ‘Yoga At Home’ to destress the mind and strengthen the body.
The prime minister suggested that AYUSH medicine producers utilise their resources towards making essential items like sanitisers which are in high demand these days.
“He exhorted them to utilise the platform of telemedicine to reach out to the public and generate constant awareness to fight the pandemic. He also highlighted the importance of enforcing social distancing with full vigour to counter the spread of the pandemic,” the government said in a statement.
The AYUSH practitioners too lauded the prime minister for leading the country’s fight against the pandemic.
The meeting discussed the impact of these traditional practices in boosting immunity.
The government set up the AYUSH ministry with the aim of developing education, research and propagation of indigenous alternative medicine systems in the country.
Meanwhile, leading digital healthcare platform Practo yesterday said it has partnered with diagnostic lab chain Thyrocare to conduct Covid-19 detection tests authorised by the government and the ICMR.
The test is available for Mumbai residents for Rs4,500, and will soon be expanded to the rest of the country, Practo said in a statement.
A doctor’s prescription, a Test Requisition Form signed by the physician, and a photo ID card have to be presented at the time of testing.