Recent statistics on Worldometer have shown that more than 9,000 people in India have tested positive for coronavirus. The fatal pandemic has wreaked havoc, with a staggering 330 deaths. Considering this emergency situation, many states have extended the lockdown until April 30.
The fight against Covid-19 (the disease caused by the virus) has become a challenge for the Indian government as it lacks adequate resources in the health sector. To address the dire situation, India is ready with smart initiatives and strategies.
- Alternatives for limited infrastructure
Indian Railways is doing its share by converting 5,000 carriages into well-equipped isolation wards with 80,000 beds. This is an appreciable initiative by India to provide optimal treatment facilities to the ever-increasing number of victims. This effort is aimed at rural populations living in remote areas, who do not have sufficient access to hospital beds. These coaches have been developed to provide Level 1 care facilities. Each coach will have the capacity to accommodate 16 patients. A goal has been set to prepare 20,000 coaches to offer isolation room-type facilities.
The Mahindra group of industries has decided to convert its holiday complexes into temporary care centers for Coronavirus patients. This noble initiative will provide a compensatory infrastructure in this battle against the virus, as the patient load may skyrocket in the near future.
- Vaccine development companies
Indian scientists are on their way to find a vaccine against the deadly Corona virus. According to experts, biotech research in India is on a par with international developments on the corona vaccine, except for animal testing. A Hyderabad-based research company has teamed up with Australia’s Griffith University to prepare a vaccine that could provide immunization against the virus. Another company in Pune, Seagull Biosolutions, is experimenting to create an effective coronavirus vaccine. The good news is that the first phase of testing the vaccine will take place in the next 18 months. The firm is also designing diagnostic kits for home use that can detect even asymptomatic carriers.
- health essentials
To provide large amounts of medical equipment such as PPE, ventilators, and face masks, the government has come up with efficient plans. Production companies have scaled up their manufacturing by working overtime. In addition, the automotive industries have also stepped forward to generate basic fans from spare parts such as pumps. Companies such as Mahindra, Bharat Electronics Limited and Maruti Suzuki have received orders to make fans.
India has also ordered a large number of ventilators from foreign companies like Mindray, Hamilton to combat the situation.
PPE is crucial for healthcare workers when dealing with corona patients. To supply enough kits in hospitals, the Ministry of Textiles is collaborating with Indian manufacturers to produce around 21 lakh worth of PPE. Quality checks have been carried out for these companies so far. India also procured 10,000 PPE from China. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has partnered with companies in Korea and Singapore to supply PPE.
