Thru’ the Desk of the Editor
COVID-19 pandemic is a sign of how vulnerable and fragile our world is. The virus has upended societies, put world’s population in grave danger and exposed deep inequalities. It has taken less than few weeks for COVID-19 to erode the social fabric of our societies and dismantle their orderly structure. Since December 2019, more than 182 million people have been infected by Coronavirus worldwide, and close to four million people have lost their lives (as of 1st July 2021) (WHO, 2021). This virus has posed a serious security challenge at all levels, namely global, national and human. It is a worst combined health and socioeconomic crisis in living memory and catastrophe at every level. COVID-19 has shown how an infectious disease can sweep the globe in weeks and in space of few months, set back sustainable development by years. It is not the first health catastrophe that has hit the humanity. In last century, the world has seen ill-effects of epidemics like Spanish flu, plague, smallpox, Ebola and SARS. However, current pandemic is different from previous ones in terms of amount of disruption it has brought to the world.
Global health security (GHS) is undergoing major transformation today after COVID – 19 crisis. Global health security has shifted from exclusively referring to revisions occurring to international public health norms to now marking a complex arena where multiple actors debate and re-consider what counts as both ‘preparedness’ and measurable health systems strengthening ‘action’. The shift has far-reaching effects on global health policy. Coronavirus pandemic represents turning point in security studies, shedding light on importance of health of populations for sustaining political, economic and social health of nation-state. There is strong need for collective action by all stakeholders through multi-pronged approach to mitigate, prevent and fight against health security threats through global health diplomacy.
Indian government under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s able leadership, has set an astounding example by striking a balance between national challenges and global commitments. While lot of measures have been taken domestically to mitigate ill-effects of COVID-19, kind of role India has played at international level is equally noteworthy. It has emerged as one of the key players in field of medical supplies, scientific research, and vaccine development and distribution. PM Modi also engaged with world leaders at multilateral levels. He called video conference of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) leaders in March 2020 and proposed creation of SAARC COVID-19 emergency fund. At SCO summit, PM Modi proposed creation of working group on traditional medicine and at BRICS forum, he gave a call for collaboration in digital health. PM Modi’s slogan of ‘one earth, one health’ at the G-7 summit signaled at global unity, solidarity and cooperation during health crises.
It is worth noting that in most of previous health crises, India was at receiving end and was completely dependent on developed countries for medicines, technology and vaccines. This scenario has rapidly changed in last couple of years. India has emerged as pharmacy of the world. During COVID-19, India has proved that it can play an important role in securing its own citizens, and can still be helpful for other countries in the region. In initial days of the pandemic, India helped several countries by providing medical and other COVID-19 related supplies under Mission SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region), Indian naval ship Kesari delivered food and medical assistance to island nations of Maldives, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles in May 2020. Similar assistance was extended to neighbors like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh. To tackle COVID crisis, it sent essential medicines to 150 countries, 82 of them were sent as grants.
India rapidly ramped up its diagnostic capabilities and aligned its digital technology expertise. This ensured that there was comprehensive tracking of pandemic. India rapidly instituted both case-based (Trace, Test, Treat) and population-based measures (wear masks, wash hands, maintain distance, avoid crowding and closed spaces) for COVID-19 prevention, management, containment, and control. Several research institutes in India have been working on separate programmes to find coronavirus vaccine. The Serum Institute of India has been producing Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, named ‘Covishield’, for domestic use and exports. Indian bio-pharma company, Bharat Biotech, together with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), developed ‘Covaxin’, which is India’s indigenous COVID-19 vaccine. Under Vaccine Maitri initiative, India has sent 6.6 crores of vaccines to 95 countries in Asia, Africa and South America, of which, more than one crore vaccine doses were given as grants and about two crores supplied as part of COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility. In initial days of coronavirus outbreak in India, Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) recommended some immunity-boosting measures that includes intake of warm water and “kadha,” use of Ayurveda herbs in cooking and doing Yoga. Innovations have been put into practice to ensure availability of health services, which include providing legal status for teleconsultation for medical care, home delivery of medicines and engagement of AYUSH providers for preventive and promotive health services. Capping price of laboratory tests and charges for hospital beds in private sector have been initiated to ensure access to care.
The constructive role played by India during this difficult time has created immense goodwill especially among the smaller countries in the immediate and extended neighborhood. But more than that, it has helped the country during its crisis situation. When India was fighting the deadly second wave, the entire world community stood behind it, as aid and supplies poured in from all directions. It received nearly 50 oxygen plants, about 20000 ventilators and thousands of oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, drugs and other medical supplies from all across the world. These supplies played significant role in India’s fight against Coronavirus. This is a story of people’s participation, perseverance and positivity in achieving a common goal.
The pandemic is a long way from being over. Everyone needs to protect herself / himself, family members and community and society as a whole, as best as they can. While no perfect protection is possible till pandemic is over in all parts of the world, risk of infection can be greatly reduced if we all follow few approaches and strategies and few simple health recommendations like wearing masks, washing of hands, maintain social distancing, avoid crowding, closed spaces etc. While fighting this pandemic is urgent need of today, this is an opportunity for all key stakeholders to strengthen overall health services.
Against backdrop of these developments, various articles in this edition of the Journal on the theme of Health Security, Global Health Security, Vaccine Diplomacy, Health Governance, examine various dimensions of the theme related issues.
Editorial Board
Adv. S. N. Desai - Editor
Prof. Pradeep Kamat – Associate Editor
Lt. Gen. (Dr.) D. B. Shekatkar
Dr. Prabhakaran Paleri
Dr. Seshadri Chari
Shri. Nitin Gokhale
Editorial Advisory Board
Prof. Dr. Uttara Sahasrabudhe
Prof. Dr. Shrikant Paranjpe
Prof. Dr. Manish Srivastav
Prof. Dr. Dattesh Parulekar
