In a bid to combat the deadly H1N1 virus, state health officials are looking at alternate therapies such as Ayurveda and Unani to be used as preventive medicine. Sale of ayurvedic/unani medicines have picked up with even SMSes advocating their use as protection against swine flu.

The state government is now accepting ayurvedic combinations for their preventive capacities to control the viral outbreak, and will officially promote them. The state Director of Ayurveda is presently in New Delhi to meet the Director of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Naturopathy, Siddha and Homoeopathy).

State Health Secretary, Ravi Saxena, said: “The government has accepted some ayurveda recipes that have certain preventive capacities but not curative capacities. The Health Department will check with the Department of AYUSH and come out with an official version after consulting the Centre. A statement from the government to use ayurvedic combinations as preventive medicine will be issued thereafter.”

On Wednesday, people made a beeline at the local ayurveda and unani stores, while the principal of a private school in the city advised parents to protect their children by using ayurvedic medicine. “Worried parents kept asking for advice as to what should be done to prevent swine flu. Therefore, after watching Baba Ramdev on television, I advised them to use tulsi paan [basil leaves] and Sudarshan Ghanvati pills. These medicines can be used as preventive measures,” said Principal of Navarachna School, Bijoya Bakshi.

Meanwhile, in Raopura, which is close to the walled city of Vadodara, ayurveda and unani medicine stores are witnessing a steady flow of visitors since the outbreak of swine flu in the city. “We are getting about 35 customers daily, who ask for medicines such as Vanslochan (a bamboo extract), Lindipeepli (extracted from bell pepper), Yashtimadhu (a mixture of honey and basil leaf), Taj (clove extracts), elaichi (Cardamom) and sakar (candy sugar mixed with herbs such as basil leaves),” added Ganibhai Hakim from G Y Hakim and Sons in Macchipeeth, Raopura.

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