FICCI-ASCI report lays down COVID-related actionable recommendations

Jul 06, 2021

HYDERABAD/ NEW DELHI, 06 JULY 2021: ASCI and FICCI Telangana State Council, in association with FTCCI and TMI, have brought out a report, COVID-19 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INDIA, that lays down actionable recommendations based on analysis of the current COVID situation in India. The analysis is based on facts available in the public domain and predicts the possible outcomes. It thus suggests Actionable Recommendations for the Government to mitigate the impact in India and helps us in preparing for the future.

The second wave of COVID-19 has been a matter of concern throughout the country since mid of February 2021. The health infrastructure and system crashed in many cities and towns due to the increased COVID active cases and increase in hospitalizations. Shortages of oxygen, beds and essential COVID drugs created havoc in most places.

NITI Aayog has predicted a third wave even if the second wave tapers off in the next few weeks. In this context this study is an attempt to provide actionable recommendations for tiding over COVID 19 and provide best practices which will be helpful for our country. The study focusses on four major areas of COVID-19 pertaining to second wave, viz., COVID treatment management; Supply Chain Management; Data Management; and Media Outreach.

The key recommendations listed out by the report for COVID treatment further includes, Encourage Home and secondary COVID Care and prevent direct hospitalizations; Create large numbers of secondary care centres in each district under private management; Tertiary Care; Bed Management to be streamlined; panel of medical experts to decide on the guidelines based on existing medical condition like oxygen level, infection rate, etc.,; frontline health workers to be incentivized (both financial and non-financial) to motivate them; incentives like advance salary, additional salary, covid treatment facilities, etc., among others.

On supply chain management, the report talks extensively on procurement, pricing & safety of oxygen concentrators; oxygen storage & supply; rationale and efficient utilization Of LMO; provision of pulse oximeters; COVID pharmacies; and ambulance services.

The report also suggests setting up of a dedicated media cell; a panel of experts to be formed; and a Media Analytics Centre for better dissemination of data and news.

The complete report is available on FICCI Website https://ficci.in/spdocument/23501/recommendations.PDF