'Anti-COVID' homoeopathic med touted by Centre, BMC in short supply

A homoeopathic medication Arsenicum Album 30 advertised lately as a prevention method against COVID19 is running out of stock in city markets The central AYUSH ministry had said in a press release that the medicine could be taken as a prophylactic against possible Coronavirus infectionsHomoeopathics in Mumbai too have been recommending people to complete a course of Arsenicum Album 30 to ward off Coronavirus The BMC too allowed for the medicine to be distributed in citys COVID19 hotspotsWhich they are now distributing free PicRajesh GuptaNearly one dozen members of Mulund East Vyapari Association MEVA have stocked this medicine and have been distributing it in their community We purchased Arsenicum Album medicine in large quantities and have been distributing it among businessmen local residents of Mulund civic personnel Mumbai police RPF personnel milkmen vegetable vendors and others It is now out of stock and not available with chemists After consulting various homoeopaths we learnt that this medicine boosts immunity and if the immunity is boosted Coronavirus will not infect us said Hemant Jain one of the members of MEVA3500 bottles distributedWe have circulated messages about the medicine being available for free on social media So far we have distributed more than 3500 bottles We have also maintained a record of these people They all tested negative for COVID19 said Jain who was recently contacted by an RPF personnel for the medicine as nearly 90 personnel staying in a barrack wanted to boost their immunitiesMulund East Vyapari Association members with the homoeopathy medication PicRajesh GuptaThere is no evidence of it curing COVID19 but it surely works as a preventive measure said Dr Bharati Pipada a homoeopath This medicine can be taken by everyone from a oneyearold child to a senior citizen But pregnant woman patients having chronic liver and kidney disease and others must consult a homoeopath said PipadaI have been practising homoeopathy for 25 years and I have given the medicine to my neighbours friends relatives vegetable vendors kiranawalas pharmacists and police at Dahisar Goregaon and Vanrai said Dr Samir Chaukkar who is the Dean at Dr Batras AcademyIt is a farceHowever a senior homoeopath Dr Kishore Mehta says it is a farce I am not sure it works that way Had it been boosting immunity levels I would have given it to my all patients Dr Mehta saidAccording to Dr Deepak Halari who runs Reliable Homeopath Pharmacy in Mulund said There is an acute shortage of Arsenicum Album 30 Several NGOs stocked it to distribute it among people Halari added that the closure of manufacturing units has exacerbated the shortage I had placed an order in March and it is yet to be deliveredDr Farooq Motiwala principal of the Nashikbased Motiwala Homeopathic Medical College said There are over 3000 varieties of medicines in homoeopathy Since the pharmacists cannot stock as many medicines five to six variants of one medicine to be used in one disease are stored In the initial stages of the COVID19 outbreak after contacting their counterparts in Iran Italy China and Hong Kong where the virus reached first the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy decided that Arsenicum Album 30 could be effective in preventing COVID19The college has provided the medicine to 17500 policemen and to thousands of people in MalegaonCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news