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Ayurvedic hospitals to begin taking Covid patients next week

10 May 2021

By Hiranyada Dewasiri   The Nawinna Ayurveda Research Institute Hospital is set to begin admitting Covid-19 patients seeking Ayurvedic treatment for intermediate care in a week’s time, which would make it the first Ayurvedic hospital to admit Covid patients. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (9), Secretary to the State Ministry of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurveda Hospitals Development, and Community Health Kumari Weerasekara said that Ayurvedic hospitals in all districts plan to accommodate Covid-19 patients for Ayurvedic treatment subsequently. “At present, the Nawinna Ayurveda Research Institute Hospital and the Ayurveda General Hospital in Rajagiriya are being transformed to accommodate Covid-19 patients by the Sri Lanka Army, and Nawinna (hospital) would be ready in about a week. An Ayurveda hospital from each district is planned to be ready to admit Covid-19 patients before a month’s time. As Ayurveda hospitals start admitting non-critical patients for Covid-19 care, patients would be given the choice to choose between allopathic (western) and ayurvedic treatment for the viral disease. “The patients would be sent to us by health authorities and we hope that patients would choose to undergo Ayurvedic treatment for Covid-19. We are preparing to give them good Ayurvedic treatment,” said Weerasekara. Also speaking to The Morning yesterday, State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurveda Hospitals Development, and Community Health Sisira Jayakody said that Ayurveda hospitals will be partnering with allopathic hospitals to provide care for Covid-19 patients in a joint effort. “If patients are in critical condition and in need of oxygen, allopathic hospitals are in contact to provide emergency care that is required for patients.” The staff of the other hospitals are to be given training on how to manage Covid-19 patients. There are 118 Ayurveda hospitals in the country with a capacity of 5,000 beds. In a meeting held last week with top health officials, it was agreed to use the Ayurveda hospitals as intermediate care centres primarily under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.


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