India's Technology-Powered Innovation Ensured Better Management Of Omicron Wave Than Other Nations: Health Ministry

Centre on Omicron: One of the key achievements has been our capacity to deliver over 1.8 billion Covid vaccine doses across a multitude of regions and terrains," the minister said.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya (ANI photo)

New Delhi: Amid an increase in COVID-19 cases in some European and East Asian countries, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said India's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the recent Omicron surge, has strongly demonstrated to the world the power of strong political will, self-reliance, technology-powered innovation and collaborative efforts.

Conveying the keynote address at an online class, he said India's strategies of public health response have brought about better administration of Omicron flood contrasted with numerous different nations.

The online class, named 'India's Public Health Response to manage COVID-19', was coordinated with NITI Aayog and in excess of 200 NGOs and common society organisations.

In a presentation, steps taken by the nation exhibiting different timely public health measures were featured.

Whenever numerous nations are reporting a surge in the number of day-to-day Covid cases, India's everyday cases have announced a significant decrease, combined with increased recovery rate, and elevated degrees of vaccination, the minister said.

Ideal measures, including test, track and treat approach with centered genome sequencing, containment, community surveillance, protocols for home isolation and effective clinical treatment, have in tandem contributed to India's COVID-19 management, he stated.

The management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially the recent Omicron surge, has strongly demonstrated to the world the power of "strong political will, self-reliance..., innovation powered by technology, shared goals and collaborative efforts through a 'whole of government and whole of society' approach", the minister said.

Applauding the collective spirit of the citizens, he said, "India's vaccination drive is testament to its capabilities and power of the people without whom this journey, and this high level of vaccine coverage, would not have been possible."

In spite of the enormous populace combined with geographical and sociological diversities, India has set worldwide norms of immunization, he said.

One of the key achievements has been our capacity to deliver over 1.8 billion Covid vaccine doses across a multitude of regions and terrains," the minister said.

Talking about the difficulties India faced during the pandemic, he said timely and prompt decisions for regulation, management, treatment and inoculation were taken by India under the authority and direction of the prime minister.

Mandaviya featured the urgent role played by technology and how it was utilized for increased accessibility of healthcare services during the pandemic through eSanjeevani, CoWIN entry for immunization, Arogya Setu application, etc.

India's technological developments have lent speed and proficiency to the country's inoculation drive, he expressed.

Alluding to the Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' and Shubh Laabh', he said, India has not only produced quality and affordable vaccines, but we have also exported medicines to more than 150 countries on humanitarian grounds. The Vaccine Maitri programme of the government has been lauded globally."

Mandaviya expressed deep gratitude to every one of the grassroots NGOs, partners and common society associations who have worked vigorously among the networks during the pandemic to help them in different ways.

"I seek your continued partnership for connecting with the communities to take healthcare services to them. Your work will be pivotal in enhancing awareness and accelerating uptake of e-health services (such as eSanjeevani, and tele-health) among the masses," he stated.

Dr Mark Esposito of Harvard University expressed that the honorable work done by the Government of India establishes the groundwork that will be able to develop a government system, which is committed to prompt and science-based reaction.

He likewise noticed that this administration approach of entire of government and entire of society adopted by the Government of India, as far as managing the pandemic and guaranteeing the outcome of the immunization drive, would be a model for managing an emergency or similar challenges in the future.

Reaffirming India's prosperity being installed in science, Dr Chris Elias, President, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, appreciated the country's commendable reaction to the pandemic.

"However, in dealing with these challenges and ensuring the success of vaccination drive, crucial policy decisions that were taken swiftly...under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister...to ensure that millions were safely administered COVID-19 vaccines in India played an instrumental role.

"India's pandemic response and the strategies developed by the country has now become the textbook approach to deal with future pandemic," he asserted.

Framing the particular drives that put India aside from numerous different nations as far as COVID-19 management, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said India's methodology was innovation-driven which helped in accomplishing this entire of society approach. CoWIN application ended up being the core of the inoculation drive.

Many difficulties like delivery and fair distribution of vaccines were addressed through timely transparent technological and physical interventions. Vaccine hesitancy was prevented through mass communication. Procurement, logistics were solved through robust cold chain ecosystem development.

"Also, we trained and provided clear information which helped in creating momentum for phase-wise vaccination of vulnerable groups, he said.

(With PTI inputs)