THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 04 March 2020 [A COVID-19 response that is quick off the blocks (The Hindu)]

A COVID-19 response that is quick off the blocks (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Health
Prelims level: COVID-19
Mains level: Health infrastructure and preparedness in India

Context:

• The global spread of COVID-19, the new coronavirus disease, with confirmed cases being identified in new countries on an almost daily basis.
• As of March 2, 2020, according to the World Health Organisation, there are around 89,000 confirmed cases from 65 countries; 27 countries have reported local transmission.
• In addition to China, there are now epidemics in South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan.
• India has reported five confirmed cases to date in Kerala, Delhi and Telangana.
• High income countries with resources such as the United States, Italy and Germany have reported local transmission clusters.

Getting the system ready:

• In India, we should anticipate the possibility of a rapid viral spread due to its uniqueness of being a respiratory pathogen with capability of community transmission.
• India needs to be ready to mount a coordinated, coherent and sustained response.
• Even if the disease does not reach epidemic status in India, it behoves us to continue to develop and maintain infrastructure to respond to new novel infectious agents capable of rapid spread.
• Preparedness allows a health system to take proactive............

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Components of a response:

• India has a fragile health system which is fragmented. It is critical to mount a coordinated and coherent response.
• This not only means involvement of both public and private sectors but also allopathic and non-allopathic medical systems, different departments such as police, fire, transportation, tourism, food supplies and other sectors.
• The response should be proportional and based on scientific principles while ensuring transparency and respecting human rights.
• The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), currently designed to be set up in situations of large natural calamities, should be leveraged; it should coordinate across ministries and departments.
• It should set up a dedicated web portal which includes a dashboard with key indicators, current case definitions, guidelines, risk communication materials and micro plans.
• Transparency and fact-based information are hugely important as in moments of crisis, rumours and unsubstantiated claims can rapidly spread. Utilising social media, media outlets effectively is also crucial.
• An epidemic of fear and misinformation can be damaging, stigmatising and corrosive to public interest.

Risk communication:

• A response plan should ensure that critical personnel (deemed irreplaceable) across sectors such as health, energy, defence, and food supply are identified and protected.
• Priority also needs to be given to protecting front-line health workers, intensive care unit nursing staff, doctors including specialists such as intensivists, pulmonologists, etc.
• In India, infection prevention and control practices in .............................

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Across the board:

• A simple back of the envelope calculation will show that current health-care resources in themselves will be inadequate for the response — for example, the number of ambulances needed or the number of contact tracers in the Department of Health, etc.
• As such, resources from other departments and general public, financial, in kind and personnel, need to be pooled and mobilised.
• They need to be trained on a fast track without making compromises on quality.
• Preparedness is neither the sole domain nor the prerogative of government; all institutions, entities, firms both private and public and even individuals and households should make contingency and advance preparedness plans.
• Companies need to decide on a nimble basis putting in measures such as work from home, suspension of non-essential travel, and reinforcing workplace hygiene and health information protocols, expansive leave policies for the sick or those under quarantine.
• Local authorities can make plans for school closure, home isolation and social distancing.
• The unprecedented containment measures taken by China have bought the world some lead time.

Conclusion:

• India has been fortunate to only see limited cases so far,.........................

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Prelims Questions:

Q1. With reference to the US-Taliban Peace deal, consider the following statements:
1. The US-Taliban Peace deal – for phased withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan – was signed in Doha, capital of Qatar.
2. As part of the deal, the Talibans are required to initiate a dialogue with the Afghan government and other civil society and political groups for a permanent ceasefire and power sharing in post war Afghanistan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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Mains Questions:
Q1. Given that India has a fragile health system, it is critical to plan a coordinated .............................?

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