Context

Recently, Asian Development Bank (ADB) released a report which highlighted the unpreparedness of nations across the world to tackle health emergencies even after the pandemic. 

• The title of the report was “What has Covid-19 taught us about Asia’s health emergency preparedness and response?”

Key findings of the ADB Report on Health Emergency Preparedness

• Lack of Medical Countermeasures: 

• • In 2021, 91% of economies lacked national plans for medical countermeasures such as vaccines and antiviral drugs against Covid-19.

• India Scores on Global Health Security Index 

  • India’s Global Health Security Index score decreased from 43.6 in 2019 to 42.8 in 2021.
    • The index also revealed that no country is fully prepared for future pandemics.

• Covid-19 Cases and Deaths Across Nations

• • Global Covid-19 Case Numbers
    • India covid cases: India ranked among the top three countries for Covid-19 cases since January 2020, as per WHO.
    • US covid cases: As of March 3, 2024, the United States recorded 103.4 million Covid-19 cases.
    • China covid cases: China recorded 99.3 million cases.
  • Vaccination Rates India/China
    • Vaccination in India: By November 2023, 74% of India’s population had received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose.
    • Vaccination in China: China had the highest vaccination rate at 90%, followed by Brazil at 87%, Japan at 83%, and the US at 82%.
  • Global Covid 19 Deaths
    • High death in US: Globally, 7.04 million people lost their lives due to Covid-19, with the highest number of deaths recorded in the US.
    • Covid 19 Deaths in India: India reported 533,495 deaths due to Covid-19. 

• India’s Response to COVID-19 Pandemic 

  • Three-tier system of Health: During pandemic, India used a three-tier system of health facilities to face pandemic problems. 
  • Use of vaccine: India too relied on vaccination but vaccination rate was low in India compared to other nations. 
    • One dose of covid -19 vaccine in India: India has covered its 74% population in terms of coverage of one covid vaccine dose.
    • One booster dose in India: In India, only 17 percent of the Indian population received at least one booster dose compared to 57 per cent in China. 
  • Government’s Healthcare Infrastructure Expansion
    To tackle pandemi, the Indian government took drastic steps in 2020.
    • Treatment facilities: By 2020, the government had established 15,378 treatment facilities.
      • These facilities included approximately 1.3 million isolation beds and 270,710 beds supported by oxygen.
      • Additionally, there were 81,113 ICU beds and 40,627 ventilator-ICU beds.
    • Repurpose of  Industrial oxygen: To alleviate oxygen scarcity, the nation repurposed industrial oxygen for medical purposes.