Inter-Pandemic Peace Time Calls for Vigilance and Equitable Health Architecture

Hyderabad: Covid-19 has ended as a pandemic, but the world is in the inter-pandemic peace time, said Tara L. Prasad, senior manager, Unicef supply division, Copenhagen, Denmark. The time must be used to quash any outbreaks, she said.

Prasad told Deccan Chronicle that it was important to assess the post-Covid scenario by learning from the mistakes as far as the health sector was concerned.

“It is important as a global community to take time to pause and learn lessons from Covid-19 and re-imagine health architecture which is more equitable. In this inter-pandemic peace time, we need to stomp out any outbreak even in one country because these are ultimately what create a ripple effect and weaken the health systems and impact population’s immunity and comorbidity,” Prasad said.

She stressed that the focus should not be on the next pandemic but on countering outbreaks in individual countries, while at the same time ensuring stronger regional and country representation, delivery of medical counter-measures and research and development on a global platform.

Prasad said that it was crucial to work on the process of implementation of the planning and strategy of the global health community. This would include coordination mechanisms and ensuring that the deliberations reach all stakeholders.

She underlined the need to strengthen the primary health care systems to ensure health care access to the most vulnerable and local communities. “Community engagement is very important to build trust and ensure the that communities understand the medical counter-measures,” Prasad said.

She said localised R&D would help in building trust in local communities as well as start a dialogue about bridging the gap of communication and knowledge. It is important to caution against misinformation, Prasad said.