Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the state of Tamil Nadu has unveiled a new scheme as part of the preventive measures to contain the virus by relying on Siddha medicine. Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has launched the scheme which has been named as 'Arogyam' which aims to distribute kabasura and nilavembu kudineer to the people with the view of strengthening the immunity.

The distribution of the herbal drinks is based on Siddha medicine and the recommendation from the medical committee. The state would concentrate on distributing the packs of the herbal drink to the residents of the COVID-19 containment zones in Chennai. However, the government has made it very clear that the herbal drinks won't cure COVID-19, it would rather increase the immune power to tackle the foreign pathogen.

According to the reports, the eleven-member committee installed by the state government to advise on combating the virus has recommended the government to initiate a scheme with the accord to the guidelines issued by the Ayush Ministry on enhancing the immunity through herbal platforms including Siddha, Ayurveda, Yoga, and naturopathy.

இன்று தலைமைச் செயலகத்தில், பாதுகாப்பு பணியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ள காவல் துறையினருக்கு, நோய் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தியை அதிகரிக்கும் வகையில் இந்திய மருத்துவம் மற்றும் ஹோமியோபதி துறையால் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள கபசுரக் குடிநீர் சூரணப் பொட்டலங்களை வழங்கினேன். pic.twitter.com/mC1MQGytdA

— Edappadi K Palaniswami (@CMOTamilNadu) April 23, 2020

Following the suggestion, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has launched the scheme on Thursday with the view of ensuring that the people of the state maintain their health. Upon launching, the Chief Minister has directly distributed kabasura kudineer packs to the police officials stationed at the state secretariat. The reports stated that one lakh families living in the containment zones in Chennai would be provided with the packs of the herbal drink.

The state government has asked the authorities who distribute the packs to ensure that they maintain social distancing measures. According to the government, the guidelines for this scheme would only aim to improve immunity not to treat coronavirus and such recommendations of herbal solutions aren't new to the state as it had earlier recommended Nilavembu kudineer to treat epidemics like Dengue. 

As of Thursday evening, the state reported 1,683 positive cases of which 908 are active patients, 752 have been discharged while 20, including two fresh fatalities, had succumbed to the virus.