Itanagar, June 10 (PTI): Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday lauded the Arunachal Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Pema Khandu for its ''commendable job'' in achieving remarkable success in combating COVID-19 despite many challenges.
Launching the distribution campaign of Ayush-64 tablet for COVID-19 patients and Ayurveda immunity booster medicine at civil secretariat here, the Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs and Ayush said that at the trying time both the Centre and state governments coordinated very well and worked towards managing the pandemic.
"The central government has ensured that all essential commodities including ration items, petroleum products, gas, etc, are made available to the people at right places," he said.
Rijiju said that despite world economy badly affected due to the pandemic, the Centre is contemplating to provide free ration to 80 crore plus people till Deepawali.
He also handed over Covid testing and screening kits to the state health department.
Ayush-64 is an Ayurvedic formulation which is developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), the apex body for research in Ayurveda under the Ministry of Ayush, for management of Malaria.
Rijiju said that the tablets initially were used for Malaria. However, scientific evidence generated from clinical studies across India has identified Ayush-64 as potential adjunct to standard care in management of asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 cases to improve the clinical recovery and quality of life.
The union minister said, though MP Local Area Development (LAD) funds have been suspended for a year now, he had managed to gather the tablets and COVID-19 testing and screening kits through volunteer donation from his contacts around the globe.
"We are in a war against the global pandemic. The government funds alone are not sufficient to win over it. I appeal to like-minded people and NGOs to come forward to help people as much as possible," he said, adding that he is also making all possible contacts to get sufficient help from other sources.
Arunachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo Libang expressed his pleasure to be a part of the COVID- 19 medicines launching programme and thanked Rijiju for his contribution towards boosting the department in the hour of need. PTI UPL RG RG
