Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has exposed the flaws in the approach adopted by Union Ministry for AYUSH.
Raising the issue during Question Hour in Lok Sabha on Friday, Uttam Kumar Reddy pointed out that the AYUSH Ministry has issued an advisory wherein it prescribed some medicines for treatment of Coronavirus. “When the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Prime Minister Narender Modi last night said there is no preventive medicine, there is no vaccine or medicine, how come the Ministry of AYUSH has issued an advisory to the States that XYZ medcine will prevent Coronavirus. This is in contradiction to the advise given by the Union Ministry for Health,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said based on the advisory note given by AYUSH Ministry, the Government of Telangana has set up stalls distributing those medicines, including at the airport. “Approximately 10-15 crore people believe in AYUSH. In a disease like Coronavirus, where there is no scientific evidence and no clinical trials, how has the ministry of AYUSH specifically recommended some medicines. Without proper scientific evidence or clinical trials, was it proper for AYUSH to issue this advisory note?” he asked.
Speaking about ‘disinformation’ and ‘misinformation’ in the media, Uttam Kumar Reddy said a number of persons, particularly of the ruling party, have been giving statements like cow urine and cow dung is useful in treating Coronavirus. Some Yoga Gurus are also prescribing some herbs. He said this ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation’ has not been contradicted by anybody in the government.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also highlighted the absence of a mechanism in the country for testing Coronavirus. “As a citizen, if I want to go and test myself for Coronavirus, there is no system in the country or procedure now,” he said.
Further, he also pointed out that the Quarantine facilities where people coming from abroad were being kept were unhygienic.
Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik, in his reply, clarified that the medicines were prescribed based on previous experiences and they could only boost respiratory system and increase immunity. “We did not call them medicines for Coronavirus,” he clarified. Further, he was there was there was nothing to fear as the Coronavirus was being controlled.
