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TOPIC: General Studies 2
- Health and Governance
In news: India currently has over 140 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The government has been quick to adopt a multipronged strategy, including issuance of clear guidelines to ministries for coordinated action, imposition of travel restrictions, suspension of visas, large-scale screening and contact tracing as well as regular dissemination of information to the public. Mounting a swift response involving all stakeholders in a country of India’s scale and diversity is undoubtedly commendable. With these measures in place we can be confident that India will be able to successfully limit the spread of the disease.
Meanwhile in Italy, the number of coronavirus cases and deaths continue to surge. Doctors and nurses are under increasing pressure and are calling out for help while medical supplies run out rapidly.
In the US, dozens of health-care workers have fallen ill with COVID-19, and more are quarantined after exposure to the virus, an expected but worrisome development as the U.S. health system braces for a surge in infections.
India and COVID-19
COVID-19 has no vaccine or certain treatment. It is a virus whose spread is faster than anything the world health community and governments have ever handled before. As medical sciences work round the clock to develop vaccines and medicines and governments grapple with tough decisions, the responsibility of prevention extends equally to society.
Possible effective antiviral medications are being explored. A vaccine will take a year or more to develop. Therefore, the public health measures that needs to be used in the meantime are:
Towards a resilient public health system
In an increasingly globalised and rapidly urbanising world, the risk of such outbreaks spreading quickly to all parts of the world is only becoming higher. The need of the hour is to build a resilient public health system that can prevent diseases, promote good health, and respond quickly to minimise loss of life when faced with an outbreak of this magnitude.
Increase spending on public health:
A focal point for public health at the central level, with state counterparts:
Essential to institute a public health cadre in states, with officials trained in disciplines such as epidemiology, biostatistics, demography, and social and behavioural sciences:
Train front-line workers—like Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and Multi-Purpose Workers (MPWs)—
Efforts must be made to reinforce disease surveillance, and response:
The need of the hour is to build a resilient public health system that can prevent diseases, promote good health and respond quickly to minimise loss of life when faced with an outbreak of this magnitude.