So why WHO (the World Health Organisation) or the health ministry has not taken homeopathy's help in tackling the H1N1 outbreak?

'WHO relies on statistical data before advising governments on tackling a disease. And there is no study on the effectiveness of homeopathy to prevent or cure swine flu. Therefore it cannot recommend homeopathy,' Bhatia said.

'Having said that, a group of homeopathy doctors are drafting a proposal to the government to offer their services to help in dealing with swine flu cases,' Bhatia said.

'In Brazil, the homeopathic doctors' community has collected data on the symptoms of swine flu and homeopathic treatments for symptoms and are spreading the word on its effectiveness through internet,' he added.

Anwar Amir, secretary general of the homeopathy post graduate association in Maharashtra, said he has written to the union health ministry and the state government's health department offering their services to deal with the swine flu crisis.

More than 616 people have been detected with H1N1 virus so far in India, of which 487 have been discharged. The disease has claimed one life in India.

People however should not panic. The chances of dying of swine flu are just as low as dying of common flu, homeopathic doctors said unanimously.

Giving an example of the effectiveness of homeopathy in an epidemic in India, Batra said when Japanese encephalitis hit Andhra Pradesh 10 years ago, the government distributed one million doses of Belladonna, a homeopathic drug, to children.

'No child was affected by Japanese encephalitis after that. Therefore, homeopathy can provide an effective and inexpensive preventive measure and cure for swine flu too,' Batra said.