COVID-19: Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Issues Eight-Point Advisory to Government

With the country battling the novel coronavirus pandemic with a 21-day lockdown, the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) has sent a ten-page advisory to the Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare at the Centre. At noon on April 3, the number of those affected with COVID-19 was 2,301 while the death toll rose to 56.

In their advisory, the JSA write that the only “justification” for the lockdown was “to give time to the health systems to prepare for the oncoming epidemic.” They mention that the government’s move to “step up” the supply of testing kits, and PPE and ventilators has been noted, “but we are worried that it would be little and late.”

The letter mentions that according to state-level interactions, preparation is “patchy, slow, and selective. In our enclosed advisory, we have put together the very many aspects on which all state governments and the state governments needs to take immediate action. We demand that urgent action be taken on each and every one of these suggestions.” 

The letter, a copy of which can be found below, lists out eight measures that governments need to act on, namely:

Arrangements for Testing 
Arrangements for Isolation and Treatment of Mild and Moderate cases 
Arrangements for Treatment of Severe Patients and for Critical Care 
Addressing Human Resource Requirements
Addressing Human Resource Rights and Safety
Ensuring Supply Chain Management  
Ensuring Ambulance and Patient Transport 
Engaging community Volunteers

COPY of LETTER

08 JSA Advisory on Health Systems Preparedness Apr 2 v1 by Newsclick on Scribd