A survey among Ayurveda wholesalers and retailers in Pune city for understanding the demand for Ayurvedic medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: After the outbreak of Covid-19, a set of guidelines for boosting immunity and self-care measures were promoted by the Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha Sowa Riga, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) department. Pune has surpassed many metro cities of India and is recognized as one of the worst-hit places of Covid-19. Ayurveda is very popular among the citizens of Pune, but there is a lack of systematic data regarding the demand for Ayurveda products and the impact of the pandemic on the sales of Ayurveda medicines. Objective: This survey was planned to collect information from Ayurveda medicine retailers regarding the trends in the usage and demand for Ayurveda medicines among the citizens of Pune in the background of Covid-19. Materials and Methods: It was a semi-structured questionnaire-based survey study consisting of 43 questions to assess the demand for Ayurveda medicines during the Covid-19 pandemic in Pune city. The study was conducted from August 2020 to September 2020, and the respondents were selected by the convenience sampling method. Data were collected from a total of 33 respondents (retailers and wholesalers of Ayurveda medicine). Analysis: The data of the completed questionnaire were systematically summarized in Microsoft excel sheet 2007, and descriptive analysis, including percentages, was used. Result: The survey shows that certain raw herbs such as Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L.), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia Miers), and finished products such as AYUSH Kwatha (Formulation to be prepared as a decoction), Chyavanprasha were in high demand during the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the demand for Amritarishta, Guduchi Ghana Vati, and Ashwagandha tablet was also high. Conclusion: These preliminary data of the survey study demonstrate the need for conducting similar studies in larger sample sizes across the country, which would enable the concerned authorities to frame policies.