With the number of COVID-19 cases in its ranks crossing the 1,000 marks, the Maharashtra Police are providing Camphora 1m, a homeopathic immunity booster, to all its personnel.
On Tuesday, an assistant sub-inspector posted with a police station in eastern Mumbai, became the latest victim, taking the death toll in the city to five and in the State to nine. The development came even as the Mumbai Police were celebrating the successful recovery of three personnel in a day.
The police said the move was just a preventive measure and acknowledged the lack of clinical studies to prove that homoeopathic medicines keep the novel Coronavirus at bay.
‘Just an alternative’
Police officials said the booster was an alternative to Arsenicum Album 30, another homoeopathic prophylatic given to personnel and staff of other government departments on the recommendation of the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).
So far, 1,007 police personnel have tested positive. Additional Director General (planning and coordination) S. Jagannathan issued a circular on Monday describing the detailed dosage for Camphora 1m, including for children below five years.
The circular directed all unit heads to inform the Stapolice headquarters by Wednesday the quantity of drug their personnel require.
‘No side effects’
Mr. Jagannathan said, “We need to be clear that Camphora 1m is being recommended as a prophylactic in consultation with homoeopathy experts. Strictly speaking, there is no statistically validated study regarding homoeopathic medicines. But it is a fact that they do not have side effects. The experts we consulted have said these medicines can be taken even if other allopathic treatment is under way.”
The State Reserve Police Force’s Unit 1 in Pune will distribute the drug, while an officer in the Director General’s office will handle queries on the initiative.
Mr. Jagannathan said, “There have been a lot of reports about which drug is more effective between Arsenicum Album 30 and Camphora 1m. The circular only offers options to our personnel as neither medicine has adverse effects. In the next phase, we will be providing a list of homoeopathy experts in the State our personnel can consult to clarify their doubts on the dosage.”