How to make India pandemic proof

Source- The post is based on the article “How to make India pandemic proof” published in “The Indian Express” on 29th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Issues relating to development and management of health

Relevance– Issues related to pandemic

News– Covid19 has exposed the weaknesses in the world’s health systems.

What are the pandemic threats for the world?

Climate change is giving rise to new pathogens. Zoonotic diseases are spilling over from animals to humans, causing over a million deaths each year.

A silent pandemic is waiting to happen. It is antibiotic resistance.

What are steps taken by India to prepare itself for the next pandemic?

In October 2021, India launched its flagship programme to prevent, prepare and respond to pandemics. It is the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).

It seeks to fill the gaps in health systems and institutions at both the national and state level. It will need to be overseen at the highest levels.

India has also brought several ministries — including health, animal husbandry, forests, and biotechnology — under the Principal Scientific Advisor. This was one of the major shortcomings during the pandemic.

More recently, the foundation for the National Institute for One Health in Nagpur was laid. The institute will identify hotspots for endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases.

India is now augmenting surveillance in 20 cities. Municipal corporations are mandated to identify the most vulnerable areas and provide early alerts.  India is also expanding its network of research laboratories to cover all respiratory viruses of unknown origin.

After the 2015 MERS outbreak, South Korea used mobile technology and Big Data to trace contacts and built a strong capacity for diagnosis. India has also begun these exercises.

The clinical trial network set up under the National Biopharma Mission is a positive step toward improving access to affordable new vaccines and drugs. Similarly, the ICMR’s initiative to establish a biorepository for clinical samples will be a national and global asset.

What is the way forward to counter the threat of future pandemic?

The need of the hour is a holistic “One Health” approach that addresses the health of people, animals and ecosystems together.

The rise of new pathogens has highlighted the importance of genomic surveillance. There is a need for wider testing of wastewater and samples from incoming ships and aircraft. These surveillance systems will also need to be extended to other South Asian countries.

Antibiotic resistance will have to be tracked and powerful awareness campaigns are needed to promote their rational use.

For surveillance, private hospitals and clinics will need to be brought under a common platform and data placed in the public domain. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission can facilitate this.

In villages, strong partnerships will be needed with communities, dairy cooperatives, and the poultry industry to identify new infections.

During the pandemic, Indian manufacturers produced vaccines, test kits, therapeutics, masks and other items at very competitive prices. The partnerships between research bodies and manufacturers will need to be sustained and enhanced.