Going back on its order that qualified AYUSH doctors may not prescribe any drug as a cure for COVID-19, the government has now decided to incorporate the National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda and Yoga, endorsed by the AYUSH Ministry, in the management of mild COVID-19 patients in the State.
Accordingly, patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, who are either asymptomatic or have only mild or uncomplicated disease (grouped as Category A patients) may be administered the Ayurveda strategies for the mitigation and rehabilitation of COVID-19, a new order issued by the State Department of AYUSH on Wednesday says.
These are patients with mild COVID-19 who are either in home isolation or are housed in the designated first or second line treatment centres. The prior consent of patients is necessary before the Ayurveda or Yoga protocol is administered to them.
The order comes soon after the Kerala High Court on Wednesday heard a petition filed by the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) challenging an earlier order issued by the AYUSH Secretary on October 20 that qualified AYUSH doctors may not prescribe any medicine for the treatment of COVID-19.
The AMAI pointed out that the order issued by the AYUSH Secretary preventing AYUSH doctors from treating COVID patients was against a directive of the Union Ministry of AYUSH of October 9, which asked States to implement the National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda and Yoga for the management of mild COVID-19 patients.
The AYUSH Ministry had directed that patients with moderate to severe COVID be given the informed choice of treatment options and that all severe COVID cases be referred.
At the High Court, counsel for the State government informed the court that all steps were being taken to implement the AYUSH Ministry’s order in the State.
The new order allowing Ayurveda doctors to treat mild COVID patients was issued within two hours of the completion of the court procedures, the AMAI said in a statement here.
AMAI says that Ayurveda or yoga clinical management strategies for mild and uncomplicated COVID patients may be implemented through the approved organisational framework already in place in the State for the execution of Ayurveda programmes, in accordance with the general guidelines issued by the State Ayurveda COVID-19 Response Cell.
