Enabling use of Homoeopathy in India's preparedness for pandemic/epidemic situation like COVID-19
AYUSH, homoeopathy, novel coronavirus, COVID-19, arsenic album, india's preparedness for pandemics or epidemic
India reported its first positive case of COVID-19 on 30th January 2020. The alerts, the checks and the quarantines soon followed. As of 28th April 2020, India had crossed the 20,000 mark of positive cases and seen over 900 deaths. The nation is adapting and preparing fast for this rapidly spreading COVID outbreak, and new advisories superseding the previous ones as per the evolving needs are being issued by the concerned authorities on almost daily or weekly basis. The unprecedented spread of this pandemic was unforeseen, and therefore, many nations, including India, were caught off guard, and understandably so. The preparedness, policies for emergency measures in health delivery, and laws related to curfews and lockdowns had to be brought into action without much time for anticipatory planning. However, among all these arrangements, and preparedness of our nation toward the outbreak of COVID-19, the role of AYUSH has so far been minimal. The situation, however, is opening up, of late, with latest advisories and notifications roping in AYUSH professionals and students as COVID warriors for providing health support, as also for taking up evidence-based trials in selected COVID-positive cases, after due ethical and official approvals. The article reflects on why enabling the use of Homoeopathy in India's preparedness for pandemic/epidemic situations like COVID-19 is important and how this can be achieved.
Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy