There are no longer allopaths, homeopaths or ayurveds. They are just people with varying levels of competence in medicine that we need
A lot is known about increasing immunity with homeopathy. However, there is some evidence of homeopathic prophylaxis and treatment against infectious diseases. Historically, homeopathy was used to treat and protect against scarlet fever by its founder, Dr Samuel Hahnemann. It was also famously used during the Spanish flu epidemic after World War-I. In fact, Dr Marino published research about homeopathic prophylaxis against swine flu and dengue in 2008 and 2009. One of the most important pieces of research in recent memory is the prophylactic effect of homeopathic medicines on a disease called leptospirosis (is a bacterial infection that humans contract from animals) in Cuba, published in 2010. A whopping 2.3 million Cubans were provided homeopathic prophylaxis and a much lower than expected incidence of the infection occurred that year.
It is irresponsible to suggest that the cure or vaccine for COVID-19 lies with homeopathy. However, at a time when conventional medicine is clutching at straws to treat patients, homeopathy should also be considered. Awareness of the high safety profile of homeopathy, absence of any adverse interactions with conventional medicines and ease of administration should mitigate all reservations regarding deploying homeopathy. This system has anecdotally demonstrated positive therapeutic effects in cases of dengue, swine flu and SARS. Sometimes homeopaths are called in extremely advanced and life-threatening stages of these viral infections which were novel until recently. These are the points which should inform decisions regarding the use of homeopathy for COVID-19.
This is a seminal time for the national health services. Countries are grappling with the possibility or reality of an overwhelmed healthcare system. In England, final year students of medicine and nursing are being graduated as doctors and nurses respectively. A call for 2,50,000 volunteers has been made and vehemently answered, to assist in the national effort against COVID-19. In the US, all manufacturers who can, are being asked to make medical devices and personal protection equipment (PPE). All forms of medical practitioners are being asked to help in emergency rooms of hospitals. Retired doctors and nurses are being asked to report to hospitals. Families are sewing masks at home and sending them to healthcare centres. In the face of paucity, doctors and nurses are using garbage bags as PPE. Every resource which can be made available for the delivery of healthcare is being commandeered in every COVID-hit country.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recently published models to predict the possible number of COVID-19 cases. According to this, 26 per cent of the Indian population may be infected and one in 450 infected individuals may die. This means roughly 35.78 crore Indians may be infected and about 7.9 lakh may die. An article by Brookings India estimates that the number and distribution of hospital beds in India is woefully inadequate and disproportionately distributed for the population it serves. Uttar Pradesh (UP) and other densely-populated States have lower than the national average of Government hospital beds. Therefore, they may not be available everywhere. If every single Government hospital bed is utilised for COVID-19 (which is not possible), India will still not be able to hospitalise even the numbers expected to die of the disease.
The sea of patients who will need clinical examination, detailed history-taking, testing, follow-up care and many other auxiliary measures just to identify a substantial fraction of true cases cannot be handled by Government-run hospitals and doctors alone. The private healthcare infrastructure has been roped in. Steps have been taken to ramp up isolation wards and beds towards this end. Every single nurse, laboratory technician, operation theatre technician, doctor, registered medical practitioner, paramedic and anyone with some basic training in the medical sciences will need to be called upon to do their bit. Recently, the health Ministry roped in Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), anganwadi workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and this added 39 lakh pairs of hands to the effort.
India possesses a unique army of doctors in its alternative systems of medicine. The Prime Minister held a meeting with AYUSH practitioners on COVID-19 but not much has come of it. Homeopaths and Ayurvedic practitioners are trained in most subjects taught to students of conventional medicine. They are also trained to conduct a detailed clinical examination of patients and do so daily. If enlisted in the fight against COVID-19, they will require no additional training, save for being kept informed of evolving guidelines for case identification, evaluation and referral.
Senior practitioners of homeopathy occupy a position of influence in the society they serve. Roping them in and using their positions as thought leaders may increase compliance of public health measures. Shedding any biases that may be at play, the health Ministry should rope in all practitioners under the Ministry of AYUSH with expedience. This can add 7.9 lakh trained healthcare workers. Homeopathy and Ayurveda have central councils and State boards. Guidelines, directions and deployment instructions can be communicated through these channels.
There are no longer allopaths, homeopaths, ayurveds or nurses. They are simply individuals with varying levels of competence in medicine. At a time where citizens are being asked to give up their livelihood and continue an incarcerated existence, there will be few who will refuse a call to help in mitigating the impact that this disease may have on our nation.
(The writer is a homeopath at Dr Kalyan Banerjee’s Clinic and has led authored research for Oxford University and Imperial College, UK)
