As medical professionals and researchers around the world struggle to address the current uncertainty, Ayurveda can play a defining role in shaping the discourse around the new-age healthcare system.
By Madhusudan Chauhan
The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on the fragility of the healthcare ecosystem and the need for a stronger push for the adoption of preventive care. As the world seeks answers to make healthcare more inclusive, holistic, and affordable in the post-pandemic world, Ayurveda can play a defining role in shaping the discourse around the new-age healthcare system.
One of the oldest systems of medicine and health, Ayurveda’s core philosophy of ‘Swasthasya Swasthya Rakshanam’ – preserving the health of the healthy – resonates deeply with those who realise that an intervention-based approach alone cannot work effectively. The current crisis is a powerful reminder of the need for more sustainable healthcare solutions.
Evidence-based science
Over the past few decades, due to lack of directed research and its over-simplification as kitchen and home remedies, Ayurveda has been looked down upon as a lesser science. It has gained a broad perception of being mostly belief-based. However, a close study of the Ayurveda texts and interactions with authentic healthcare practitioners and experts will reveal the truth.
Ayurveda is founded on the tenets of an evidence-based, rationalistic, and holistic approach. It has a unique, well-elaborated and documented pharmacology, pharmacognosy, anatomy, and detailed understanding of disease pathogenesis. Putting it in the same bracket as ‘herbs-based remedies’ or even ‘plant-based medicine’ would be a huge mistake.
Today, India has the opportunity to present to the world an integrated, improved, and affordable healthcare model, by leveraging the rich history of Ayurveda. However, this cannot be achieved merely by relying on the experiences of the Ayurveda community or claims in the texts. We need to build a significant body of research to present this knowledge to the global community at large.
The four-step action plan
There has already been a step up in modern scientific research, studies, and published papers on Ayurveda. To make the most of these new developments in the post-pandemic world, we need to follow this four-step action plan:
With an evidence-based approach and a stronger push for Ayurveda, we could look back at the pandemic as an event that encouraged the world to embrace healthier lifestyles and holistic healthcare.
(The author is Director, Jiva Ayurveda, India)
