IN PICS | Rural India Worst-Hit In Covid 2nd Wave, Health Centres Need 76% More Doctors: CSE Report

While Coronavirus pandemic put enormous strain on India’s healthcare system, “the abysmal state of preparedness in urban India has been in the limelight, a more distressing scenario is emerging from the rural hinterland,” says a new statistical report released here today by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth magazine. (Representative Photo: PTI)

The report titled ‘State of India’s Environment in Figures 2021’ states that the community health centres in rural India need 76 per cent more doctors, 56 percent more radiographers and 35 percent more lab technicians. (Representative Photo: PTI)

“In May this year, India alone accounted for more than half of the daily global cases on six days. The peak was due to a surge in cases in rural districts,” Mahapatra added. (Representative Photo: PTI)

In May, rural districts recorded more new cases and deaths over urban districts, the report states. In the first 26 days of May, India accounted for every other new Covid-19 case and every third death due to the infection recorded globally. What escaped everyone's notice is that every second new case and death reported from India in May was from the rural districts. This means every fourth case reported in the world that month was from rural India, the report adds. (Representative Photo: PTI)

“While urban unemployment rate reached almost 15 percent in May 2021, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act implementation witnessed massive payment lags – the states and UTs of Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh registered maximum payment delays,” it informs. (Representative Photo: PTI)

According to the report, the economic impacts have been and will continue to be very severe. Rajit Sengupta, one of the key writers of the report, said: “The pandemic’s spread to fragile rural districts means that the country will take longer to recover. This is likely to slow down the GDP growth next year”. (Representative Photo: Getty Images)

Slow pace of Covid vaccination is another cause of concern as the country has managed to fully vaccinate only 3.12 percent of its population, which is lower than the global average of 5.48 percent. (Representative Photo: PTI)