In homeopathy we recommend Thuja 30 as prevention of Corona: Dr. Pratip Banerji

How Banerji Protocols is responding to the COVID-19 outbreak?

Our response has been to reach out to premier institutions across the world, especially in those countries which have been dealing with the outbreak before India, to gather information and case studies as to why they were unsuccessful in keeping down the casualties from the contagion. We have been proactive mainly by studying all available information about this infection and the publication of a possible medicine set in specific potency and dosage for the prevention and treatment of Covid 19 patients. This Protocol is available on our website, and within the first two days we already have had 13,000+ hits on the page and various enquiries from all over the world. We hope that we will get the feedback about efficacy in the near future.

What is the role of Banerji Protocols to the prevention and control of the contagion?

We as homeopaths have always stressed as to how important it is to boost immunity in our fight against any disease and this is the basis of our treatment method. We have specific medicines to boost selective immunity that we use very successfully in treating critical cases of pneumonia, influenza, acute respiratory distress syndrome and cancers of the lung. This will effectively prevent and control the disease.

Our recommendation for prevention of Corona is a homeopathic medicine called Thuja 30. Thuja is basically an anti-viral medicine. We have been using Thuja and our observation of this medicine is that it is both a preventive as well as can be used to treat viral diseases with excellent efficiency. Over and above this, I have categorized the contagion according to different stages of infection and posted the different medicines with their specific potencies and dosage patterns, as will be found useful in the treatment of them.

Are potent COVID-19 patients visiting your chamber?

During this period we have shared information about what medicines to take for prevention and our protocols on Covid cases. We have been getting a large number of enquiries every day on preventive medicine since the lockdown period started.

Our clinic is presently open to dispense medicines and reporting of existing cases that are urgent. We have shifted to telephonic consultation and video conferencing with patients, which is more personal and innovative. In this scenario we have started getting enquiries from Covid positive cases and are in the process of getting into place a “Covid 19 Survey”, in collaboration with an American University. Through this survey, we will be able to gather data and observe the effects of our medicines on prevention and treatment of cases, but it is too early to share information on these developments.

Regarding whether we are getting Covid 19 patients in our clinics, in the absence of proper testing, it is impossible to say who has the infection. It is also impossible to test every case, as should be done in an ideal situation. In our clinics we get many cases of common cold, fever, influenza, pneumonia etc., including more serious illnesses such as renal failures and cancers. The Covid 19 cases may come to any clinic with another co-morbidity, such as above.

Do you think the homeopaths must be given more freedom in formulating treatments of COVID-19?

Homeopathy is a recognized and accredited system of medicine in India. For this reason alone, there should be no bar to its use in any disease, let alone COVID 19. This system of medicine is in very popular use and other than this, historically homeopathy has an excellent track record in the treatments of Epidemics / Pandemics, over the ages, a search on the net will show the facts. So definitely homeopaths should join in the fight and stand shoulder to shoulder with other medical systems.

Another point in view is the fact that many drugs, such as antibiotics, antimalarials, interferon and others are being used to treat the infection in the absence of properly identified solution. The side-effects of these treatments are devastating in themselves.

Are homeopathic researches being conducted to find a treatment/cure for COVID-19?

In Homeopathy an agent is used to treat the same symptoms in a diseased human being, that it can produce in a healthy one. Thus the arsenal against any disease already exists and it is only a question of matching the symptoms of the contagion to the known symptoms that any medicine which is the most similar. Taking this into consideration the symptoms and the physical systems the Covid 19 is affecting, can be analyzed and a Protocol for treatment can be designed. I have already done this and it has been posted on our website. I have set up a system to analyze cases taking my protocol and hope to soon have data validating my suggestions for an effective measure for our population to build an active immunity against COVID 19.

To what extent can homeopathy bring relief to a patient suffering from this disease.

As many studies have shown, homeopathic medicines have the power and capability to boost the immune system, in fact these medicines selectively boost the immune system against specific symptoms and are very good for the lungs too. Boosting immunity will definitely help to prevent, as well as help patients recover from this contagion. And our medicines do this very effectively. My protocol is designed keeping this in mind and medicines are also matched according to different problems faced by the affected population in various stages of the infection. Homeopathic medicines are safe to use and we can expect very little or no side-effects as can be experienced by using other systems of medicine.

Have you prescribed homeopathic medicines to prevent COVID-19? If so, is it in December 2019? Or in January 2020? Or in February- March 2020? What has been the response?

I have prescribed preventive medicines for Covid 19, please see answer as above.

Are you worried about the reportedly lesser testing in West Bengal?

Testing or the lack of it is certainly a concern, especially to institutions getting large footfalls of patients. Testing is very much necessary to contain the threat of spread of the disease. At the same time, costing initially Rs. 4500/- per test, even the Rs. 600/- per test that is yesterdays (19th April 2020) price, is expensive for indiscriminate testing. It will leave any country reeling financially. Prudent and judicious testing for cases and their immediate contacts are the order of the day.

Is testing more needed to supplement the gains of lockdown to stem the spread of the virus?

I think what is being done right now, that is identification of micro-hotspots, enforcing total lockdown and testing suspicious cases, is a good move by the government. Also important is to spread sanitary awareness to populations most prone to spread, such as those where it is impossible to maintain physical distancing and appeal for civic sense and social responsibility amongst populations who are in defiance / denial of their vulnerability to this infection.

(Dr. P Banerji can be reached through their website: www.pbhrfindia.org)