harsh vardhan

INDIA HEALTH MINISTER’S IRRESPONSIBLE DARK CHOCOLATE COVID CLAIM

The unfolding human tragedy in India as a result of the Pandemic is agonising to watch. Whatever the reasons on how it ended up in the position it now faces, the feeling now is for action, and not recriminations.

Yet, India’s health minister, Harsh Vardhan, went to Twitter to tell the public they should be eating dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa, to beat COVID stress.

The Indian newspaper, the Tribune, reported on Sunday that a number of health researchers responded with disbelief.

Where is the evidence in COVID context? – writes Anant Bhan, a bioethics researcher who works out of Pune and Bhopal

Vardhan went on to name a range of foods, including chocolate and vegetables he said would increase their vitamin intake.

But in a country where some workers cannot afford to even take the time off work to get vaccinated, the suggestion of eating chocolate is doubly absurd. Anant Bhan writes:

How many people can afford dark chocolates anyway

Bhan went on to Twitter to ask the Minister to restrict his comments to ‘evidence based’ statements.

Author

  • Nick Baskett

    organisation:

    Nick Baskett is the editor in Chief at Bartalks. He holds a diploma from the Financial Times as a Non Executive Director and works as a consultant across multiple industries. Nick has owned multiple businesses, including an award-winning restaurant and coffee shop in North Macedonia.

2 thoughts on “INDIA HEALTH MINISTER’S IRRESPONSIBLE DARK CHOCOLATE COVID CLAIM”

    1. There are still a lot of beliefs in some countries that, in the west, we don’t realise still exist. My son came back from a 5-year stint working in Malaysia yesterday. He told me just before he left they were arranging an event and in the boardroom, one of the Directors suggest they hire a consultant who would do an ‘anti-rain dance’. This would ensure no rain, he said. He’s not cheap, the Director went on, but if it rains – he gives you your money back!

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