PM Modi praises doctors, tells them to take up studies on yoga

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday requested the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to take up “evidence-based studies” on yoga in “mission mode”.

With 49 per cent of India’s vulnerable population of age 60 and above having been given at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, the Prime Minister praised doctors — who were the first to be administered the shots — for playing a crucial role in encouraging vaccine “enthusiasm and confidence” in the country.

The Prime Minister’s request to doctors to study yoga comes at a time when the IMA, which describes itself as “the only representative, national voluntary organisation of Doctors of Modern Scientific System of Medicine”, has declared war on yoga guru Ramdev, who has repeatedly run down allopathic medicine in the fight against the coronavirus.

“You know medical science, you are the expert and the specialist. It is naturally easy for an Indian to understand yoga. When you study yoga, the whole world takes it very seriously,” the Prime Minister said during a virtual interaction with doctors on National Doctors’ Day.

“Can IMA take it forward in mission mode, can take evidence-based studies on yoga forward in a scientific way?” he asked.

“Efforts can also be made that studies on yoga are published in international journals and publicized. These studies, I am sure, will encourage doctors across the world to make their patients more aware of yoga,” the Prime Minister said.

Already, doctors are contributing their time to evidence-based studies on the benefits of yoga in dealing with post-Covid complications,” Modi said. “…People from the medical fraternity have come forward to spread awareness about yoga. The work that should have been done in the last century after Independence to propagate yoga, is being done now,” he said.

“Evidence-based studies are being conducted by many institutes associated with modern medical science on how yoga-pranayama is having a positive effect on the health of people in this time of Corona, on how yoga is helping to deal with post-Covid complications… Many of you are spending a lot of time on this.”

Underlining the crucial role played by doctors, Modi said: “Be it the country’s fight against Corona, or the country’s goal of improving the medical system, all of you have to play an important role… For example, when all of you got the vaccine in the first phase, it increased enthusiasm and confidence about the vaccine in the country manifold.

“Similarly, when you ask people to follow the appropriate Covid behaviour, people follow it with full devotion. I would like you to play this role more actively, expand your scope even more.”

Modi emphasised the importance of documenting doctors’ experience of critical aspects of the pandemic in detail, and said the record would be very helpful for all of humanity in the future.

“Documentation of your experiences with patients is very important… There should be detailed documentation of the patient’s symptoms, treatment plan, and response. It can also be in the form of a research study, which notes the effects of various drugs and treatments… With this, the world will be able to understand many complex questions related to medicine, and will be directed towards solutions,” Modi said.

Modi recalled the heroic efforts of the medical fraternity during the pandemic, and paid homage to those who had died in the service of humanity.

“Today, when the country is fighting a big war against Corona, doctors have saved millions of lives by working hard day and night. While doing this virtuous work, many doctors of the country have also laid down their lives. I pay my humble tribute to all these doctors…and express my condolences to their families,” he said.

“As many challenges came in the fight against Corona, our scientists and doctors found the solutions; they also found effective therapies. Today our doctors are making the protocols for treatment of Covid-19, as well as helping in their implementation. This virus is new; it also showing new mutations. However, through our doctors’ knowledge, their experience, we are able to tackle the dangers and challenges of the virus together,” Modi said.

Modi attributed the relatively stable pandemic situation to the efforts of the country’s frontline workers, who had delivered in spite of the limitations of “long-neglected medical infrastructure and pressure of population”.

“You are well aware of the limitations of the medical infrastructure that was created in the country in so many decades. You are also familiar with how medical infrastructure was neglected in earlier times. The pressure of the population in our country makes this challenge even more difficult. Despite this, during Corona, if we look at the infection per lakh population, if we look at the mortality, then India’s position, compared to the big developed and prosperous countries, has been relatively stable,” Modi said.

“The untimely end of even one life is sad, but India has also saved millions of lives from Corona. Huge credit goes to our hardworking doctors, our healthcare workers, our frontline workers,” he said.