“There is no better time than now to invest in health systems. Today, as the world sees a probable future of recurring infections, state leaders will need to prioritize building knowledge systems and investing in human capital and critical infrastructure, and put establish robust evaluation mechanisms. This will require a general consensus for action,” Dr. Samir Saran, president of the ORF, wrote in the report.
Historically, India’s health delivery system has suffered from ad hoc regulation, poor monitoring, and modest budget allocations.
The report highlighted how, during the pandemic, some states and Union Territories (UTs) were more successful than others in quickly rationalizing resources to fight Covid.
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“The key was to align their health systems with the needs of the population,” Saran said.
The report showed that in the area of institutional support to the health sector, Meghalaya did very well and Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and even small states like Tripura, Goa and Mizoram did relatively well. Jammu and Kashmir leads among UTs.
In terms of managing Covid-related health outcomes, Himachal Pradesh, among the large states, and small states like Goa and Tripura fared better than others. Among the UTs, Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands showed remarkable results, even outperforming all states.
Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh (among the largest states) and Goa (among the small states) have the best records in their overall health profile, and among the UTs, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu are the leaders.
In medical infrastructure, the smaller states like Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Mizoram have the best services at the population level as do the larger states like Kerala and Maharashtra. Among the UTs, Lakshadweep is the most equipped.
Goa, among the small states, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala, among the large states, meet the most criteria for technology infrastructure. Delhi leads among UTs.
The report calls for better data infrastructures to drive policy and an aggressive push toward universal health coverage to “fill the gaping gaps in the country’s health systems.”
It showed that only states and UTs with higher per capita income levels are significantly more resilient in combating a possible new wave of the pandemic or any other health crisis of similar magnitude than poorer regions.
Calling the Covid immunization campaign a “remarkable” achievement, the report advises policy makers to “learn from the last three waves and increase investments in health and develop robust strategies for expected future waves.”
“Although the COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented, it will not be the last. We are obligated to strengthen our health systems and make them harmonious, equitable and sustainable. We would do well to start doing it now,” Saran said. saying.
Source: IANS
