HYDERABAD: Not just prevention; but early detection and treatment too will play a key role in arresting the spread of Covid-19, in case there is a third wave, highlights a report prepared by the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) along with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Telangana state council.
Titled ‘Covid-19 recommendations for India’, the report stresses the need for home care, large-scale Covid-19 care centres, especially in rural areas, to tackle the virus.
“The Indian variant is very virulent and is expected to infect majority of population according to some studies and is now very active in rural India. Hence prevention focus is not enough. Early detection – with extensive testing and fast and accurate results – and shifting of patient to Covid-19 centres is the only way to prevent the entire family,” reads the report based on the current Covid-19 situation in India..
The joint report further suggests increasing incentives to frontline health workers and better bed management apart from encouraging home and secondary Covid-19 care. The idea, it adds, is to prevent direct hospitalisations. “Frontline health workers should be incentivised (both financial and non-financial) to motivate them. Incentives like advance salary, additional salary, Covid-19 treatment facilities etc should be considered,” reads the report recommending the creation of large number of secondary care centres in each district under private management, tertiary care, streamlining of bed management among others.
“The second wave of Covid-19 has been experienced in all major states and union territories...There was a shortage of oxygen, beds and essential drugs. The Niti Aayog has predicted a third wave even if second wave tapers off in the next few weeks. In this context, this study is an attempt to provide actionable recommendations for tiding over Covid-19 and provide best practices which will be helpful for our country,” said Dr Subodh Kandamuthan, director for ASCI’s Centre for Health Care Management.
