COVID-19 pandemic: ISM starts supply of AYUSH drugs to health workers, quarantine centres, old age homes, PRIs

Jammu: The Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM), J&K after consultation with the Advisor Ayurveda, Ministry of AYUSH, GoI on Friday started supplying available AYUSH drugs to all health workers, quarantine centres, old age homes, PRIs through AYUSH doctors deployed with Principal GMCs Jammu/Srinagar, Directorate of Health Services Jammu/Kashmir, District AYUSH Officers for management of COVID-19 activities.
The step was taken after the Lieutenant Governor (LG) G C Murmu had issued directions for providing AYUSH drugs beneficial for self-care/preventive health measures/ Prophylaxis/ boosting immunity for management of COVID-19 pandemic to all health workers, quarantine centres, old age homes, PRIs etc.
The directions came in the wake of various advisories issued by the Ministry of AYUSH, GoI, which recommended certain AYUSH drugs for boosting immunity and improving the respiratory symptoms in similar diseases.
These AYUSH drugs are helpful for prevention and prophylaxis, symptom management of COVID-19 like illnesses and add-on interventions to the conventional care. These medicines are having immuno-modulator, anti-oxidant, rejuvenator, anti-stress, metabolism regulator, anti-allergic, anti-pyretic properties. Besides, they are also useful in managing COVID-19 like symptoms vizdry cough, fever, and bronchospasms etc.
In order to have sufficient and continuous supply chain of these medicines, Atal Dulloo Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education gave instructions to Directorate of ISM for procurement of supplies through J&K Medical Supplies Corporation immediately.
These AYUSH drugs include Chawanprash, Samshani Vati, Agastya Haritiki, Tulsi, Trikatu, Ashwagandha, AnuTaila, Sitopladi Churan, Talisadi Churan, Tribuvan Mishran, Syp Kuka etc.
In this regard, Director ISM, J&K Dr. Mohan Singh also called an emergency meeting with the concerned officers and expert Post Graduate doctors on the directions of Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education Department for implementing the directions of higher authorities in letter and spirit.
He assured that the supply of these medicines shall be made available immediately to the concerned centres and in this regard he directed all the sub-ordinate officers of Directorate to make health workers aware regarding the properties of these AYUSH medicines for the management of COVID-19.
Directorate of ISM has also initiated the process of procuring raw herbs like Behidana, Unnab, Sapistanetc for preparation of decoction to be made available at quarantine centres and old age homes.
Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development Department has also been informed regarding the source and potential suppliers for supply of the above mentioned drugs to be procured for supply to the PRIs.