As India’s health professionals battle the spread of COVID-19, some political leaders say traditional medicine systems can cure the coronavirus. VICE News’ senior staff writer Pallavi Pundir reports on how nationalistic fervor for these cures, doctors with fake credentials, and misinformation, are gaining momentum in India and making the pandemic worse.

MORE:

• India’s crematoriums and hospitals are breaking under the stress of a second wave of COVID. VICE News Tonight reports on a country going through hell.
• Here’s how rich people in India are gaming the system and taking vaccines intended for the poor.
• VICE News’ Pallavi Pundir talks to COVID-19 deniers and anti-maskers in India.
• With India in the throes of the COVID crisis, oxygen scammers are getting rich.

CREDITS :

This episode was produced by Adizah Eghan.

VICE News Reports is produced by Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, Jen Kinney, Janice Llamoca and Julia Nutter. Our senior producers are Ashley Cleek and Adizah Eghan. Our associate producers are Sam Eagan, Sophie Kazis, and Adreanna Rodriguez. Sound design and music composition by Steve Bone and Kyle Murdock.

Our executive producer and VP of VICE Audio is Kate Osborn. Janet Lee is senior production manager for VICE Audio. Production coordination by Steph Brown. Fact checking by Nicole Pasulka.