India, the country that defeated polio, is now facing a new challenge: the anti-vaxxers. Anti-vaxxers are people who refuse to take vaccines for various reasons, such as religious beliefs, conspiracy theories, mistrust of science, or fear of side effects. Anti-vaxxers pose a threat to public health, as they increase the risk of spreading infectious diseases and undermining herd immunity.

Covid-19's contribution to emergence of Anti-Vaxxers

The Covid-19 pandemic had exposed the vulnerability of India's health system and the need for mass vaccination to contain the virus. However, it has also given rise to a thriving anti-vaxxer movement that spreads misinformation and propaganda against Covid-19 vaccines. Some of the common myths propagated by anti-vaxxers are that Covid-19 vaccines contain aborted fetuses, microchips, or metals; that they alter the DNA or cause infertility; or that they are part of a global conspiracy to control or reduce the population. Some conspiracy theories even went on to claim that the Covid-19 pandemic was a hoax, denying existence of the virus and even claimed that vaccines weren't necessary at all.

Another common argument that anti-vaxxers use against Covid-19 vaccines is that the clinical trials were not up to standards, ignoring the fact that non-randomized trials are standard when a crisis has already occurred. This argument is also used by Ayush practitioners and followers to justify their own products that lack proper clinical trials. However, this is a false equivalence, as non-randomized trials for Covid-19 treatments have been conducted with rigorous methods, large sample sizes, and transparent reporting, while Ayush products have been based on anecdotal evidence, small studies, and dubious claims. Non-randomized trials can provide valuable information for public health interventions, especially when randomized trials are not feasible or ethical, but they cannot be used to promote pseudoscience or quackery.

How Ministry of Ayush paved a way for Anti-Vax sentiments among Indians

One of the other factor that has contributed to the emergence of anti-vaxxers in India is the formation of the Ministry of Ayush in 2014. Ayush is an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homeopathy, which are alternative systems of medicine and healthcare in India. The Ministry of Ayush was created with the vision of reviving the ancient knowledge of these systems and promoting their development and propagation.

However, some critics argue that the Ministry of Ayush has been promoting pseudoscience and quackery, and undermined the scientific and evidence-based approach to medicine and health. For example, the Ministry of Ayush has endorsed unproven remedies and treatments for Covid-19, such as the infamous coronil, methods including drinking cow urine, taking homeopathic pills, or practicing yoga and meditation to increase immunity against Covid-19. The Ministry of Ayush has also been accused of interfering with the regulation and approval of Covid-19 vaccines, and creating confusion and distrust among the public.

The Ministry of Ayush has also been linked to some of the prominent anti-vaxxer groups and individuals in India, who use social media platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp to spread their propaganda and mislead their followers. Some of these groups and individuals are The Great Awakening, India Against Slavery, Shri Rajiv Dixit Jan Jeevan Sanrakshan, Awaken India Movement, Anarchy for Freedom, Biswaroop Chaudhary, Dr. Tarun Kothari, Dr. Vilas Jagdale, and Kapil Bajaj Support Group. These groups and individuals claim to be advocates of Ayush systems and natural healing, and oppose Covid-19 vaccines as harmful and unnecessary.

The rise of anti-vaxxers in India is a serious concern, as it jeopardized the efforts to achieve universal vaccination and prolonged the pandemic. It also eroded the trust and confidence in the scientific and medical community, and endangered the lives and health of millions of people. Therefore, it is important to counter the misinformation and propaganda of anti-vaxxers, and educate the public about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. It is also important to ensure that the Ministry of Ayush to be held responsible for peddling pseudoscience, for not adhering to the principles of science and evidence, to promote or endorse unscientific and unethical practices and products.