The demand for ‘Nilavembu kashayam’ has gone up with people thronging the Kamala Nehru hospital (KNH) here and the special camps conducted in viral fever-hit areas to get their share of the Siddha concoction, even as corporation health officials have started door-to-door distribution of ‘Nilavembu churanam.’ People living in fever-affected areas are being asked to consume the herbal powder for three days continuously.
At the same time, the concoction is distributed in Dindigul Corporation’s three Siddha centres at central bus stand, Begampur and KNH and also in six urban health centres. Fourteen special health teams had been constituted to distribute Nilavembu powder to all residents in areas where fever symptoms are reported, said KNH Siddha doctor R. M. Azhagarsamy.
Nine kinds of Siddha ingredients are blended in the ‘Nilavembu kashayam/ churanam’ to strengthen the immune system of the body. “Besides distributing kashayam at camps and in hospitals, we also offer Nilavembu churanam in pockets to patients for them to prepare kashayam at home. Health assistants demonstrate kashayam preparation to all patients,” he said.
Talking about the preventive measures, KNH Siddha doctor P. Aravindhan said Nilavembu was proven to be an effective Siddha medicine for the treatment of dengue fever and for any type of fever with shivering as it would increase immunity.
Fever, headache, muscle and joint pain were some symptoms of dengue fever. Sometimes, viral fever would develop into life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding and blood plasma leakage, he added.
Dindigul Corporation had intensified mass awareness campaign in schools and residential areas on preventive measures like clean surroundings and closure of water containers with lids, said M. Anitha, Corporation Health Officer. Though the corporation had sufficient stock of Nilavembu churanam, suppliers were not able to meet the growing demand owing to shortage of raw materials. The corporation had ordered for 100 kg of churanam for the coming week, said corporation sources.
Inaugurating an orientation programme for teachers here, Collector T.N. Hariharan said dengue hit children aged below 15 years and adults above 70 years. He advised patients not to buy medicines directly from medical shops without consulting doctors as it would be dangerous to health.
