Use of Homeopathy to Build Immunity Generated Interest in Alternative Treatments: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said the widespread use of homeopathy and other medicines to build immunity has generated people's interest in alternative systems of medicine.

Addressing a virtual meet of some of India's leading experts in AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), Singh said that in COVID-19 the prognosis depended on the immunity of the patient and, therefore, the importance of building immunity was realised with it.

"The widespread use of homeopathy and other medicines to build up immunity have generated interest in the alternative systems of medicines," he said.

Singh, the minister of state for personnel, said that coronavirus pandemic has reiterated the merits of integrated medical management and added that in the times to come, serious thought would be required to be given to this aspect for a more effective medical prophylaxis (treatment given or action taken to prevent disease) was well as therapeutics.

He recalled that even though the merits of integrated or holistic management were realised even in the case of non communicable diseases, diabetes mellitus but somehow this aspect did not receive the kind of attention that was required.

Even though there is ample evidence and research papers to show that even on treatment with insulin oral antidiabetic drugs, a patient with diabetes can achieve better blood sugar control and reduce the dose of medicine, if he is simultaneously advised to practise other methods including yoga, naturopathy, etc, the minister said.

The virtual meet was attended by Dr Nagendra Acharya, head, Vivekananda Centre, Bengaluru, Dr Ramanathan from Sitaram Ayurvedic Hospital, Thrissur, Cochin, Dr Zamir Ahmad, consultant from Unani Medical Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University and Dr Ashok Sharma, homeopathic consultant, Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences New Delhi, according to a Personnel Ministry statement.

In his presentation, Dr Nagendra Acharya presented a new protocol of yoga, specifically meant for different classes, namely below 60 years age group, above 60 years age group and in hospitalized patients, it said.

The entire protocol could be practiced within 15 minutes, the statement said.