Haryana to distribute 1 lakh kits of Ramdev's Coronil to Covid patients

State Health Minister Anil Vij tweeted the decision of the government on Monday evening, drawing much criticism from netizens.

"One lakh Patanjali Coronil kits will be distributed free of cost to Covid patients in Haryana. Half of the cost of Coronil has been borne by Patanjali and half by the Covid Relief Fund of Haryana Government," his tweet read.

Haryana has been witnessing a spike in Covid cases in the state's rural areas, which the BJP government has attributed to the farmers' continued participation in the protest against the Centre's farm laws.

The state officials have said such meetings amount to super spreader events.

During its launch in February, Coronil generated much controversy after Ramdev declared it to be the "first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19" in the presence of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

The Indian Medical Association, had in a scathing attack, questioned how the Health Minister, who himself is a doctor could promote a "falsely fabricated, unscientific product" before the country.

Ramdev later claimed a research paper on Coronil, launched initially as a cure of Covid-19 but later given approval as an immunity booster, will clear all "suspicions".

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in Southeast Asia, however, tweeted that it had not reviewed or certified any traditional ayurvedic medicine for Covid.

The IMA had then said it was shocked to note the "blatant lie" and that the country "needs an explanation" from the minister.