29 December 2020 12:00 am
By Yohan Perera
Traditional medicinal products which enhance immunity have been able to contain the COVID- 19 pandemic in Sri Lanka to some extent, an official said over the weekend President Ayurvedic Medical Association Dr. Prasadh Hendavitharana told a seminar organised by the National Movement for Social Justice on Sunday that traditional medicinal substances such as coriander which enhances immunity have been able to contain the spread of COVID-19 to some extent.
“Consumption of traditional medicine such as Coriander which enhances immunity has resulted in the containment of the ongoing pandemic in Sri Lanka,” Dr. Hendavitharana said.
“However the issue with Sri Lanka is the absence of an organised programme to make use of traditional medicine to contain the pandemic. “The new eight storied building of the Ayurvedic Hospital in Borella is used as a quarantine centre but our belief is that it should be converted into a COVID hospital,” he added citing an example.
Also, he noted that certain syrups which are being promoted as cures for COVID-19 are not traditional medicines. However, he did not elaborate on this much rather than mentioning that there are conspiracies with regard to the distribution of some medicines.
President of the Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Ravi Kumudesh said one of the major issues in Sri Lanka with regard to the pandemic is that experts either dismiss or agree with popular ideologies rather than carrying out scientific research on them. “Issues such as cremation of those who succumb to COVID-19 is being dragged as a result of this situation. Virologists in Sri Lanka are only engaged in either disagreeing or agreeing with common and popular ideologies rather than carrying out research and explaining the results of the research,” he said.