On the eve of International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, Global Healthcare Advisor Vijay Dhawangale shares his views on pandemic preparedness

Global Healthcare Advisor Vijay Dhawangale sharing his views on Epidemic Preparedness

New Delhi (India), December 26: The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed December 27 as the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness. This Resolution holds great significance, as it helps raise awareness for each individual, community, state, and the world on the importance, necessity, and urgency of the prevention of, preparedness for, and partnership against epidemics. Currently, people all over the world have been affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is the fifth pandemic after the 1918 flu pandemic.

Addressing a conference organized for its members by the Global Association for GSP on the eve of International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, Global Healthcare Advisor Vijay Dhawangale mentioned, “Pandemic preparedness is most effective if it is built on general principles that guide preparedness planning for any acute threat to public health”. To the extent possible, pandemic preparedness should aim to strengthen existing systems rather than develop new ones. He further added Pandemic response requires that business continuity plans and surge capacity plans be developed for the health sector and all other sectors that could be affected by a pandemic to ensure sustained capacity during a pandemic.

He also mentioned that Government took the right steps at the right time and proved its mettle in managing the pandemic in an effective way for a country having 1.39 billion population. From a situation of a single laboratory equipped to undertake testing for COVID in January, by the end of December, 2288 laboratories (as of 30th December 2020) were conducting COVID-19 Testing. Laboratories have been established in difficult terrains like Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland as well as other North Eastern states, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar island crossing 1.5 million tests a day, much higher than that stipulated by WHO, which were 140 tests per million population per day.