Why we need to invest in indigenous health systems

Disclaimer: Information mentioned in this article should not be used to replace current guidelines for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on countries throughout the world. During the initial stages of the pandemic, uncertainty around transmission of the disease and the challenges of effective clinical management pushed governments to resort to intervention measures such as lockdowns. Arguably, the most acute impacts of COVID-19 were felt by healthcare systems. In many places healthcare centres were overwhelmed, reporting dangerous shortages of beds and equipment. Healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients were not just at risk of contracting the virus themselves, but also faced severe challenges to their mental health.

India’s health sector was also intensely affected by the pandemic and pre-existing gaps in the healthcare system were amplified. Poor doctor–patient ratio (especially in the public hospitals), inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of pandemic preparedness added to the woes of the government, healthcare workers, and patients alike. However, with the onset of the pandemic, the government immediately engaged with the crisis at hand, using all the available resources to set up exclusive, temporary COVID-19 care centres in every state. Standard triaging and clinical treatment protocols, to be followed at all hospitals, were also laid down. Parallelly, the government also saw that indigenous systems of healthcare, such as the medical science of Ayurveda, had the potential to help ensure good physical and mental health amongst the population. The steps taken by the Indian government, however, are only temporary and do not provide a long-term solution to addressing the gaps within the healthcare system. Strengthening the indigenous health systems in India can help alleviate pressures on the allopathic healthcare sector.

As the pandemic progressed, many labs and allopathic hospitals across the country began to research the deadly virus. They subsequently formulated clinical protocols to treat COVID-19 patients and recommended preventive measures to reduce transmission. Simultaneously, India’s Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH)—responsible for promoting and developing the indigenous systems of medicine—decided to consult Ayurvedic experts, known as Vaidyas. They developed a booklet offering simple tips for self-care and advocating the consumption of particular ingredients, valued in Ayurveda for their immune system boosting properties. Ayurveda is one of India’s most popular indigenous health systems. It works on the principle that the human body is a mixture of three doshas: vata, pitta, kapha; these terms describe the metabolic functions of the body. The doshas need to be in constant equilibrium to maintain the body in good health. The booklet, paired with proper social distancing and handwashing etiquette, provided the public with a way to support their own health when there was no vaccine in sight. 

Ayurvedic recommendations in times of need

People accepted these tips for many reasons: 1) the recipes from the booklet include common ingredients found in Indian households; 2) the recipes could be instantly prepared; and 3) most Indian households experienced first-hand success with these remedies. Consider golden milk: this age-old recipe, often used to treat sore throats, is prepared by mixing turmeric powder and pepper powder in a glass of warm milk. Variations of this recipe may include other spices such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise. Modern science, too, has backed this remedy. Curcumin, found in turmeric, helps relieve coughs and sore throats by inhibiting several inflammatory pathways. Piperine, found in pepper, further enhances the bioavailability of curcumin, making golden milk a great natural remedy.

Furthermore, the ministry encouraged citizens to regularly practise Yoga breathing exercises known as pranayama. Pranayama has been found to enhance lung capacity by increasing the strength and endurance of respiratory muscles, and to reduce stress by downregulating the production of stress hormones. People also turn to Ayurveda for other supportive practises, such as the rejuvenation therapy concept Rasayana. Rasayana medications have been suggested to improve brain functioning, intellect, and help treat mental health disorders. The increased isolation and stress brought on by the pandemic called for different ways to practise self-care. During this time, Ayurveda and pranayama, in particular, offered a simple, yet effective way for individuals to start their transition towards a healthy lifestyle while adhering to social distancing and sanitary practises. 

To encourage the revival of Ayurvedic medicine, multiple government, entertainment, and commercial groups collaborated to host ‘Bounce Back Bharat: The Ayurveda Project’. The event began on 2 November 2021, coinciding with Ayurveda Day, which is held in honour of Lord Dhanvantari, the Hindu deity of Ayurveda. Ayurvedic professionals and prominent personalities were given the opportunity to discuss the importance of Ayurveda and their experience with the age-old practice. 

Fusion medicine: where allopathy meets indigenous knowledge systems

The increased interest in Ayurveda has opened up conversations about an exciting, collaborative field for doctors of both allopathic and indigenous medicine. This ‘fusion medicine’, as it is known, could go a long way towards alleviating some existing issues within the Indian healthcare system, such as burnout among healthcare professionals and increased financial burdens on patients. In 2021, a team of doctors from Nepal highlighted the importance of combining the positive aspects of Ayurveda and allopathic medicine. Their paper explains that the immune boosting properties of Ayurvedic medicines may help enhance the mechanism behind allopathic drugs used to treat ailments like arthritis, coughs, and colds. Moreover, the authors suggest that fusion medicine may help lower overall treatment costs since Ayurvedic drugs are cheaper than allopathic ones. However, they also add a word of caution: combinations of some Ayurvedic medicines and allopathic drugs can lead to undesirable health outcomes. The paper concludes by emphasising the need for more research on fusion medicine in order to better understand its scope and application in clinical settings. The examples given above offer insights into the potential benefits of developing fusion medicine as a field in its own right. The challenge, however, lies in assuring that the fields of Ayurveda and allopathy are robust on their own. 

With the pandemic, we learned that there are no shortcuts to achieving good health; however, a starting point includes eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, maintaining good sleep patterns, and forging long-lasting healthy relationships with loved ones. These recommendations form the foundations of the AYUSH systems and were once the starting point for allopathic medicine. Since then, allopathic medicine has blossomed into a robust field with quality research and extensive funding while Ayurveda—and other forms of traditional medicine—have been unjustly neglected. As shown by the examples above, Ayurvedic medicine can help address challenges and gaps faced within allopathic medical systems. Therefore, India should prioritise research in AYUSH sciences to level the playing field between Ayurveda and allopathy. Once strengthened, the fields of Ayurveda and allopathy can come together more effectively in the new domain of fusion medicine.  

Next steps for investing in indigenous medicine 

Events like ‘Bounce Back Bharat’ are a small yet significant step towards promoting Ayurveda within India. Further steps include increasing collaborative opportunities between the government and Ayurvedic colleges, hospitals, and clinics to encourage students to consider a career in Ayurveda. Infrastructural and financial support should be offered to existing Ayurvedic institutes to allow for high quality research to be conducted. Dedicated AYUSH departments could be set up at government allopathic hospitals in every state, providing patients with the opportunity to receive both allopathic and Ayurvedic treatment. These hospitals could also function as research centres for developing the scope of fusion medicine.

The gaps in India’s healthcare sector—widely exposed to the public during the pandemic—have been a longstanding problem. Naturally, the situation has taken a toll on healthcare workers and patients alike. From drinking golden milk to soothe sore throats to practising Pranayamas to ease stress, AYUSH practises—if followed regularly—can help individuals maintain a healthier and happier lifestyle. By strengthening the fields of Ayurveda and allopathy, the Indian healthcare sector can explore and develop the field of fusion medicine. If done correctly, fusion medicine will provide hospital systems with the ability to offer a spectrum of clinical and palliative care in even the remotest areas of India. Development of these fields will thus strengthen India’s healthcare sector and ensure better preparedness for future health emergencies.