• 4,720 patients had been discharged after full recovery
• Only 299 patients had been referred to government hospitals with serious complications

By Sandun A Jayasekera   

None of among 5,800 Covid-19 patients admitted to 13 Ayurvedic Hospitals had died and only 299 patients of them had been referred to government hospitals with serious complications, a state minister said yesterday.    

State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Sisira Jayakody said the indigenous medical treatment to Covid-19 patients were given at Ayurvedic Hospitals under the supervision and in association with doctors (Allopathic Medical Practitioners) at government hospitals and 4,720 patients had been discharged after full recovery up to now, he said.   

Minister Jayakody told the media that the Cabinet approval had been granted to distribute a sachet of Ayurvedic medicine among Covid-19 contracted families free of charge. “The sachet of Ayurvedic medicine ‘Suvadharani’ produced by a team of experts of the Department of Ayurveda will be distributed among pandemic affected families at Divisional Secretariat and Grama Niladari Division level at door to door free of charge.   

The clinical tests carried out by Ayurvedic experts have proved that ‘Suvadharani’ boosts the immunity in the body and minimises complications and prevents death and the technical committee of the Ayurvedic Department has recommended ‘Suvadharani’ as a clinically tested indigenous drug to treat Covid 19 patients,” he stressed.   
He pointed out that Suvadharani could be used as a food supplement as porridge and added five more Ayurvedic Hospitals were to be opened shortly to treat Covid-19 patients in addition to the current 13.