Examining the critical gaps in the Covid19 response strategy

Synopsis:  Government needs to learn from the mistakes of its Covid19 response strategy and needs to address it quickly to ensure an inclusive, healthy, and informed society.

Background

• As of now, it has been one year since India detected its first case of Covid19 response strategy. To date, India has recorded 1,54,703 deaths due to COVID-19 4^th highest in the world.
  
• Analyzing the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic so far reveals a mixed bag of successes and failures.
• India needs to address the loopholes and systemic faults by learning from its own mistakes that it encountered during its efforts to contain the pandemic.
• This will help us to limit the impact of the pandemic and guide us to the path of economic and social recovery.

What are the issues that need to be addressed to further strengthen India’s disease control strategy?

We need to improve and address the following issues to further strengthen India’s disease control strategy.

Areas that need improvement:

First, Reducing case fatalities ratio:

• • • Though India has fared better on rates of infections and deaths than many higher-income countries. For example, India’s case-fatality ratio is 1.4% compared to 2.8% in the United Kingdom.
    • Yet, compared to countries of similar income and demography in South Asia, India has a high case fatalities ratio. For example, Sri Lanka (0.5%), Nepal (0.7%).

Second, Pragmatic solution to contain the spread of Pandemic:

• • • Second, With the arrival of new virulent strains in many parts of the world, India still unable to figure out how to open its borders to normal travellers while keeping out those carrying COVID-19 infection

Third, building capacities to facilitate the Use of Strategic information:

• • • Inadequacy in the generation and use of strategic information’s was evident during the Pandemic response. For example,
      • • The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), India’s national disease surveillance framework, was not effective throughout the response.
        • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) sero-surveillance studies were limited in coverage and periodicity and are ineffective to calculate the herd immunity in population with
        • Even, the plans to create an integrated digital health information system to improve the efficiency and transparency of the COVID-19 response was slow-paced.

Concerns that need to be addressed:

First, Provision of Social security net:

• • • The imposition of lockdown at very short notice had resulted in ineffective control of the pandemic. India saw cases rising rapidly when the lockdown was lifted.
    • It also produced a ripple effect on the economy. The large-scale exodus of migrants and families took place as there was no means for Livelihood. There were also deaths due to lack of sufficient food, drinking water. Their sufferings highlighted the lack of a social safety-net for poor Indians.

Second, Following Top-down approach for better implementation:

• • • Because Lack of consultation with State governments on implementing COVID-19 response policies resulted in the failure of states to take ownership at the state level.

Third, involving Civil society organization to ensure last-mile connectivity:

• • • The government’s lack of concern to involve civil society organizations (CSO) as partners with state agencies to support their effort to control Pandemic is a cause of concern.
    • By neglecting CSO’s, Government failed to recognize the important role played by civil society organizations during polio eradication and AIDS control. They were instrumental in providing social support to affected families by lobbying with funding organisations such as the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).

Fourth, Clearing the doubt over efficacy of Vaccines:

• • • Though India has joined the select group of vaccine-producing countries, there remains an uncertainty over the sustainability of the vaccination Programme leading to Vaccine hesitancy.

Fifth, Strategic planning to revive the Economy:

• Finally, the pandemic has widened the existing social inequalities. Millions of people are suffering under poverty and lack acces to health care. Yet, Plans to revive the economy and restore livelihoods of millions of people is still unclear.