Managing Delhi's Covid-19 Peak
Delhi Govt as well as Central Govt have decided to lift lockdown restrictions while huge surge of Covid-19 cases is happening. What policy road is Govt taking on Covid-19? Govt has not publicly stated but it appears that Govt is adopting brutal Heard immunity strategy. This will lead to Lakhs of Daily Covid cases at its peak. The peak of daily Covid cases may come in next 3 months if Lockdown restrictions are continued to be relaxed.
There are various estimates that projects that Delhi will need 50,000 to 1.5 Lakh Beds by end of next month. This is many times higher than present Bed capacity in Delhi. To deal with Covid peak in next 3 months, these things have to be done.
1. Central Govt and Delhi Govt must work in complete coordination & cooperation. Central Govt must immediately provide Rs 10,000 crore financial Aid package to Delhi to deal with emergency.
2. As revenue of local bodies like MCDs and Delhi Govt has completely collapsed due to economic shutdown in last 3 months, they are finding very hard to pay salaries to its employees. With Financial package from Central Govt, MCDs and Delhi Govt should immediately pay all pending salaries of Doctors, Nurses and other Govt employees.
3. Delhi will be facing a big shortage of Doctors & Nurses in coming months. This is a structural problem of our healthcare system so cannot be corrected within few weeks. However, certain steps can be taken to address the problem at hand. Firstly, Govt should regularize all Doctors & Nurses on contractual basis as full time permanent employees giving them all benefits like post retirement pension etc. Secondly, Govt should fill all vacant posts of Doctors & Nurses in Hospitals. As there is no time for regular process to fill vacant positions. Govt should fill these positions on Deputation basis with salary and benefits of newly hired Doctors as same as regular full time Doctors. Later Government can proceed with more formal process of selection to fill these positions on permanent basis.
4. Every Govt Hospital should have a special ward reserved for Doctors, Nurses & other front line workers for treatment of Covid-19. This is needed to instill confidence and assure personal safety of Doctors & Nurses as they are working in hazardous environment everyday.
5. Ensure that all medical supplies, PPE Kits, Masks etc are provided to all Hospitals and Health care workers for their personal safety.
6. Covid testing prices should be rationalized and significantly reduced. Now most of the testing kits are available commercially at low costs but Private labs & hospitals continue to charge high rates of 4500 Rs / test. Also Govt should subsidize Covid test costs in private labs to bring it down to Rs 500 / test. The testing in Govt hospitals should be continue to be expanded and made functional 24x7 without any charges.
7. Delhi will need to take measures similar to Maharashtra to utilize and maximize all healthcare capacity of Delhi and that means partial & temporary takeover of Private Hospitals, Clinics, Labs etc. Govt must convert a major part of Private Hospital beds capacity for dedicated Covid care and leave the remaining Beds for all other treatments. All private healthcare prices for Covid treatment should be fixated and regulated by Govt considering the need of the time. Smaller Private Hospitals & Clinics which find it financially non viable to provide Covid health care should be subsidized by Govt by direct financial aid to keep them open & running in these emergency times.
8. Govt should ensure that all Non Covid patients and specially critical care patients, pregnant women etc should receive all neccesary treatment and coverage. Covid response should not lead to denial of service to other non Covid patients.
9. Keep Schools, Colleges, educational institutions, Places of worships and other places of community gatherings completely closed for next 2 months at least. Postpone all Exams or find alternate ways for promotion of students.
10. To build Temporary Hospitals in minimal time, Govt should take over Large Shopping Malls, Indoor Stadiums, Colleges with large Halls & Auditoriums etc. Work should be immediately started on 24x7 basis to transform them into temporary Hospitals. Patients with moderate symptoms can be bedded in long rows & columns in Giant halls and Doctors & Nurses can oversee these patients easily. For severe patients, a separate section will be needed with more medical support.
Conclusion
A lot has to be done to manage affairs in Delhi's Covid response as well as India as a whole. But the most critical part of India's Covid response is funding of States by Central Govt in this time of emergency to mobilize all the resources, payment of salaries of Govt employees, subsidizing treatment & testing and keep State Governments functional when their revenue have collapsed. Without the Central funding, the Covid-19 will create a chaotic breakdown of healthcare in all states & cities.
There are various estimates that projects that Delhi will need 50,000 to 1.5 Lakh Beds by end of next month. This is many times higher than present Bed capacity in Delhi. To deal with Covid peak in next 3 months, these things have to be done.
1. Central Govt and Delhi Govt must work in complete coordination & cooperation. Central Govt must immediately provide Rs 10,000 crore financial Aid package to Delhi to deal with emergency.
2. As revenue of local bodies like MCDs and Delhi Govt has completely collapsed due to economic shutdown in last 3 months, they are finding very hard to pay salaries to its employees. With Financial package from Central Govt, MCDs and Delhi Govt should immediately pay all pending salaries of Doctors, Nurses and other Govt employees.
3. Delhi will be facing a big shortage of Doctors & Nurses in coming months. This is a structural problem of our healthcare system so cannot be corrected within few weeks. However, certain steps can be taken to address the problem at hand. Firstly, Govt should regularize all Doctors & Nurses on contractual basis as full time permanent employees giving them all benefits like post retirement pension etc. Secondly, Govt should fill all vacant posts of Doctors & Nurses in Hospitals. As there is no time for regular process to fill vacant positions. Govt should fill these positions on Deputation basis with salary and benefits of newly hired Doctors as same as regular full time Doctors. Later Government can proceed with more formal process of selection to fill these positions on permanent basis.
4. Every Govt Hospital should have a special ward reserved for Doctors, Nurses & other front line workers for treatment of Covid-19. This is needed to instill confidence and assure personal safety of Doctors & Nurses as they are working in hazardous environment everyday.
5. Ensure that all medical supplies, PPE Kits, Masks etc are provided to all Hospitals and Health care workers for their personal safety.
6. Covid testing prices should be rationalized and significantly reduced. Now most of the testing kits are available commercially at low costs but Private labs & hospitals continue to charge high rates of 4500 Rs / test. Also Govt should subsidize Covid test costs in private labs to bring it down to Rs 500 / test. The testing in Govt hospitals should be continue to be expanded and made functional 24x7 without any charges.
7. Delhi will need to take measures similar to Maharashtra to utilize and maximize all healthcare capacity of Delhi and that means partial & temporary takeover of Private Hospitals, Clinics, Labs etc. Govt must convert a major part of Private Hospital beds capacity for dedicated Covid care and leave the remaining Beds for all other treatments. All private healthcare prices for Covid treatment should be fixated and regulated by Govt considering the need of the time. Smaller Private Hospitals & Clinics which find it financially non viable to provide Covid health care should be subsidized by Govt by direct financial aid to keep them open & running in these emergency times.
8. Govt should ensure that all Non Covid patients and specially critical care patients, pregnant women etc should receive all neccesary treatment and coverage. Covid response should not lead to denial of service to other non Covid patients.
9. Keep Schools, Colleges, educational institutions, Places of worships and other places of community gatherings completely closed for next 2 months at least. Postpone all Exams or find alternate ways for promotion of students.
10. To build Temporary Hospitals in minimal time, Govt should take over Large Shopping Malls, Indoor Stadiums, Colleges with large Halls & Auditoriums etc. Work should be immediately started on 24x7 basis to transform them into temporary Hospitals. Patients with moderate symptoms can be bedded in long rows & columns in Giant halls and Doctors & Nurses can oversee these patients easily. For severe patients, a separate section will be needed with more medical support.
Conclusion
A lot has to be done to manage affairs in Delhi's Covid response as well as India as a whole. But the most critical part of India's Covid response is funding of States by Central Govt in this time of emergency to mobilize all the resources, payment of salaries of Govt employees, subsidizing treatment & testing and keep State Governments functional when their revenue have collapsed. Without the Central funding, the Covid-19 will create a chaotic breakdown of healthcare in all states & cities.
Comments
Post a Comment