India has been one of the greatest examples of establishing a robust, efficient, and well-organised healthcare system during the pandemic. Amidst COVID, India implemented the method of vigorous screening, testing, isolation, and quarantining to flatten the curve as early as possible. Looking ahead at the World Health Day on April 7, 2022, the Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Amrita Hospital, Kochi, Dr Dipu TS recalled the circumstances India went through in the last two years in tackling the pandemic and explained how infrastructure development and planning could help managing catastrophe, like COVID, more effectively in the future.
Looking into the problems encountered by India, he recalled, “During the first wave of the pandemic, beds, intensive care units, ventilators, oxygen, and life-saving drugs were in short supply across the country. The government attempted to address the problem by acquiring 60,000 ventilators, with around 17,000 being delivered to states across the country. Patients who need a ventilator or other life-saving devices from Covid were unable to receive them due to a shortage of healthcare personnel, which included critical care experts, nurses, and paramedics such as respiratory therapists.”
Meanwhile, the government understood the gravity of the situation and formulated a quick action plan to increase genome sequencing. Dr Dipu TS, further, added, “The setting up of Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) labs was a good initiative by the Government for gene sequencing and understanding the newer variants of concern on a real-time basis to alert the system for appropriate measures. The vaccinating India campaign and its execution were tremendous, considering the billions of populations it has covered.”
He also suggested maximising skilled doctors, nurses, and paramedics staff through training to deal with such a tragedy in the future. Also, better management and planning are required to maintain the supply chain of medicines and medical equipment. Strengthening telemedical advise, better homecare services, and digital health services with proper leadership training will help reduce the adversity. Continued surveillance activities to recognise new variants and regional outbreaks will help to monitor the situation. The government agencies such as DBT-BIRAC have helped to build up the healthcare industry by assessing the commercialization of in-house medical research products.