According to Fitch Solutions, India is badly placed to deal with COVID proliferation

Despite several healthcare reforms, India remains badly placed to deal with the third wave of widespread COVID-19 infections in the country, Fitch Solutions said on Friday, adding to the unprecedented crisis investment in the healthcare sector The need to increase has been highlighted.

After some success in curbing the virus to a great extent, India’s economy had started functioning normally by the second half of 2020.

Fitch Solutions said in a note, “However, in recent weeks, the virus has begun to spread rapidly, partly due to societal removal measures and decency over mask-wearing policies.

With daily COVID-19 cases exceeding a severe shortfall of 2 lakhs, many hospitals across the country are stretched beyond their capabilities to handle the increasing burden of highly contagious disease.

States such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Chennai, Punjab and Karnataka have the highest incidence of epidemics, already lacking in healthcare infrastructure and equipment, ranging from oxygen to ventilators.

“Despite many health reforms, India remains badly to deal with the rapid spread of coronovirus,” it said, adding the epidemic in India could be worse if it is not adequately contained.

Healthcare rises to the limit

With 8.5 hospital beds per 10,000 population and 8.0 physicians per 10,000, the country’s health sector is not equipped with such a crisis.

Furthermore, the significant inefficiency, dysfunction and acute shortage of healthcare delivery systems in the public sector does not coincide with the growing needs of the population.

Furthermore, more than 80% of the population still does not have any significant health insurance coverage and about 68% of the Indian population does not have limited or access to essential medicines.

“The low level of public expenditure on health is a reason and a great factor for poor quality, limited access and inadequate public order of healthcare. Dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic has brought significant importance to the public sector. Health provision,” The agency said.

It said the unprecedented crisis highlighted the need to increase investment in the healthcare sector.

Rollout the vaccine

Fitch Solutions said India’s vaccine rollout has been slow.

The country of 135 crore people has given 8.09 crore vaccine doses as of April 2021, the highest after the US and China, but it is far behind in per capita vaccination.

India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has expanded its vaccination program to include everyone above the age of 45. But so far, it has vaccinated only about one in 25 people, while nearly one in two in Britain and one in three in the United States. States.

“India’s growing virus cases endanger its position as a global supplier – the country has had to halt vaccine exports to maintain domestic supply,” it said. “India’s supply issues will greatly affect emerging Asian countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh which are covered under the COVAX scheme.” Among Indian cities, Mumbai is one of the worst COVID-19 hits.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation decided to discharge asymptomatic patients as soon as possible to empty the bed for patients with more severe symptoms.

The Mumbai civic body also said that it would order the purchase of injections of antiviral drug remediesvir and other medical devices to avoid any possible shortage of medicines in the city’s hospitals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a review meeting that mortality in all circumstances should avoid logistics other than health services infrastructure, availability of oxygen, need for ventilators and ensure that all hospitals as well as clinical Management protocols should also be followed. home care.

Fitch Solutions said, “Concerned with the increasing burden of the epidemic, states are now improving their health infrastructure to cope with the increasing number of patients.”