COVID-19 SCENARIO IN INDIA

                                

 

Covid-19 outbreak has led to a major global crisis, one of the major issues we are facing is healthcare crises. The pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of healthcare systems even in developed countries, not to mention that situation in India is grim even from a real estate perspective, the same ratio for India is merely 0.5 bed per 1000 population, even behind countries like Chile and Colombia. Despite there being ample emphasis on personal hygiene and no lack of medical as well as scientific evidence to highlight its importance, hygiene practices failed to make a major impact in India.

 

 

ISSUES FACED BY HOSPITALS IN INDIA

 

At the time of independence, the private health sector provided only 5-10% of total patient care in India. Today private sector consists of 58% of the hospitals in the country. Medical Brands like Apollo, Narayan, HCG, Max Healthcare, etc. have set up hospitals even in Tier II cities like Lucknow, Jaipur, Mohali, Surat, Nashik, Indore, Vishakhapatnam, Tiruchirappalli, Guwahati, etc. The data suggests that in last three years about 4282 beds have been added to the tier II cities which is nearly twice to that of Metros which added only 2288 no of beds.

Today, Healthcare is at the crossroad where there is an all-time high demand of quality and affordable healthcare facility while the high real estate cost prohibits the prospects of private sector to step in. Thus, there is a need to think beyond the FSI policy and to explore various innovative PPP models. Also, there is a need to look at surplus lands held by various central and state government agencies. Even a fraction of the same is brought into the market at a reasonable price or in a Partnership model it might change the paradigm.

 

OTHER ISSUES ARISING DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

 

As the entire globe is coping with the different ways to manage the Covid-19 pandemic, the virus has taken several other victims into its fold. These are the several patients who are battling other medical conditions that may not be emergencies, but could take an unfavorable turn, if left unattended. Doctors and patients alike are confronted with a worrisome future: How long is too long to postpone medical care or treatment?

Non-communicable diseases such as cancers, diabetes, require regular monitoring and routine checks. A recent survey by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network points out that nearly one in four cancer patients reported delays in their care because of the pandemic, including access to in-person appointments, imaging, surgery and other services.

 

COVID-19 LEARNINGS

Covid-19 has become our biggest teacher. Covid-19 taught us that health comes first . And collaboration has emerged as our biggest lesson. It has worked globally: scientists, physicians, funders and manufacturers have come together as part of an international collaboration, coordinated by the WHO, to help speed the availability of a vaccine against Covid-19.

Several biopharmaceutical companies are researching vaccine candidates for the prevention of Covid-19 and collaborating in the sharing of existing technologies that can be leveraged to allow a rapid upscale of production once a vaccine candidate is identified.

Our second-biggest learning from the Covid-19 has also been the need to be geared to face future health emergencies. It begins with augmenting the current healthcare system in the country. To quote Mahatma Gandhi: “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” A strong foundation for a self-reliant and healthy India lies on Make in India, Innovate in India and Collaborate in India. The Covid-19 experience so far has thrown up a significant understanding of the opportunities that can help India progress as a nation, for the health and well-being of its citizens. 

PERSONAL HYGEINE

Simple hygiene measures can help protect your family’s health and everyone else's. 

 

✨Don’t touch your face

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. 

✨Don’t cough or sneeze into your hands 

Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of used tissue immediately.

 

 ✨Keep your distance 

Maintain a distance of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from people who are coughing or sneezing.

✨High-touch surfaces to clean and disinfect

Every home is different, but common high-touch surfaces include: Door handles, tables, chairs, handrails, kitchen and bathroom surfaces, taps, toilets, light switches, mobile phones, computers, tablets, keyboards, remote controls, game controllers and favorite toys. 

 

✨What to use to clean and disinfect

If a surface is dirty, first clean it with soap or detergent and water. Then use a disinfectant product containing alcohol (of around 70 per cent) or bleach. Vinegar and other natural products are not recommended.

✨Food packaging and handling precautions 

·        Remove any unnecessary packaging and dispose into a waste bin with a lid.

·        Remove food from take-out containers, place on a clean plate and dispose of the container. 

✨General food hygiene tips

·        Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before preparing any food.

·        Use separate chopping boards to prepare uncooked meat and fish.

·        Cook food to the recommended temperature.

 

In an ideal world, people should be able to do the right things and focus on the right areas as a default approach. However, the reality is quite different. Despite there being ample emphasis on personal hygiene and no lack of medical as well as scientific evidence to highlight its importance, hygiene practices failed to make a major impact in India. Eventually, a pandemic of the magnitude of Covid-19 made people notice this need and take steps to adopt personal hygiene practices. This realization and the importance of basic hygiene practices such as washing hands dawned suddenly. Hand sanitizers, face masks, disinfectants etc. are crucial components of our defense against the virus until a vaccine is found.

~By

Sneha