Non-Covid Patients Hit

Context: Pandemic induced health crisis among Non-COVID patients highlights the poor state of the Indian healthcare system.

Challenges Before Healthcare System During Lockdown

• Disruptions in healthcare services delivery to the poor patients: as a result of restrictions on the movement of people and unavailability of tertiary care in remote villages.
  • For E.g. suspension of the Abohar-Jodhpur Express, also known as ‘Cancer Train’, resulted into denial of treatment to small farmers.
  • Cancer has progressed among 10 to 15% of patients who could not visit the hospital.
• Increase in preventable diseases and deaths: due to concentration towards COVID support.
  • Lockdown resulted in poor blood sugar control among diabetes (Type 1) patients. - PGIMS, Rohtak-
  • A study has shown that the lockdown will cost five to eight years of the gains in the fight against TB.
  • The condition of some renal failure patients on dialysis deteriorated.

Conclusion: India, being the lowest in terms of health indicators, must inject more funds so as to strengthen the hospitals with more doctors and better facilities.