Hyderabad: FICCI- ASCI report lays down Covid-related analysis

Hyderabad: The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) and FICCI Telangana State Council, in association with FTCCI and TMI, have brought out a report, Covid recommendations for India, that lays down actionable recommendations based on analysis of the current Covid situation in the country.

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 the country and helps in preparing for future.

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

The NITI Aayog has predicted a third wave even if the second wave tapers off in the next few weeks. In this context the study is an attempt to provide actionable recommendations for tiding over Covid and provide best practices which will be helpful for the country.

The study focusses on four major areas of Covid pertaining to the second wave, viz., treatment management; supply chain management; data management; and media outreach.

The key recommendations listed by the report for Covid treatment includes, encourage home and secondary Covid care and prevent direct hospitalisations; 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 guidelines based on medical condition, like oxygen level, infection rate, frontline health workers to be incentivised (both financial and non-financial) to motivate them; incentives like advance salary, additional salary, treatment facilities, among others.

On supply chain management, the report talks extensively on procurement, pricing and safety of oxygen concentrators; oxygen storage and supply; rationale and efficient utilisation of LMO; provision of pulse oximetres; 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 analytic centre for better dissemination of data and news.