INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Washington: The distinguished Rockefeller Foundation on Thursday suggested a tactical roadmap to not only control COVID-19 in India, however
also to manage future waves of the deadly pandemic which has eliminated over 2,80,000 individuals in the country.The Rockefeller report,
The Road Ahead for Smart COVID-19 Testing and Tracing in India, prepared in collaboration with specialists and other prominent organisations
outlines how India can strengthen its screening and tracing capacity to adapt to this minute, break the rise, and control future outbreaks,
focusing on five important chances for developing an equitable, economical, and scalable COVID-19 response
To efficiently safeguard the population from COVID-19, it stated screening and tracing methods must be further strengthened and
contextualised through a cafeteria-style technique to screening (making it possible for the accessibility of a varied portfolio of tests
with clear guidance); undertaking properly designed sero-surveys; setting regulatory pathways and quality checks on new testing
technologies; ensuring fair access to screening; and scaling genome sequencing efforts.The report stated that testing capability,
availability, and accessibility needs to be enhanced through using pooled procurement through a consortium assisted in by the Centre to
reduce testing costs by a third, incentivise domestic production of testing sets and parts, and control screening rates
It looks for to enhance the demand forecast of screening for balance
Doing so will ensure that screening and tracing systems are proactive and screening providers are response-ready, it said.Recommending
collaboration and communication for uniform and lucid details dissemination, the report states building collaboration and trust with the
public should be prioritised through implementing a transparent data collection and sharing policy for scientists and citizens.It likewise
suggests to scale essential parts of tracing systems
Tracking and tracing require human and technological resources to effectively curb virus break outs and offer dignified, destigmatised
assistance to those that evaluate COVID-19 positive
This focused report, with actionable suggestions, can function as a resource in informing us particularly in locations of screening and
tracing, stated Principal Scientific Consultant to the Government of India, Prof
Considering that the break out of the pandemic, consistent screening and tracing has benefited us substantially
This was possible due to the fast development through science, innovation, and innovation, he said
Quick recalibration of top priorities and impact-driven public-private collaborations have guided us to achieve better capacity in
screening, diagnostics, therapies, vaccines, Raghavan stated
Rajiv Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation stated that the recommendations in the report make a case for strengthened testing and
tracing procedures to restrict the continuous pandemic and avoid impending ones.Overcoming the difficulties postured by COVID-19 requires
constant knowing and application of insights to enhance public health results, he stated
This is why we are proud to work with an incredible lineup of specialists and the workplace of the Principal Scientific Consultant to
support the development of more inclusive testing and tracing techniques for India, Shah said
In its report, the Rockefeller Foundation states that it is necessary to create an enabling environment where independent scientists can
quickly access genuine information and evaluate it to use important insights for policymakers
Interaction channels must be enhanced to bust rampant misinformation and allay worries of people.Building an in-depth tracing procedure that
integrates the best of handbook and digital practices and a swimming pool of qualified health care employees is needed
Tracing and tracking as methods need to likewise be refined, and practiced in times when infections are low, so that they can be ramped up,
if next waves of the pandemic hit, or other contagious break outs strike in future
The strength of contact-tracing ought to be adjusted according to information from gene-sequencing, test positivity, gradient of caseload,
and assistance of sero-surveys, it said.The report notes that it is very important to include backward or retrospective tracing as a crucial
element of contact-tracing programs particularly since COVID-19 transmission has this common attribute where few cases trigger numerous and
many cases do not trigger any transmission.To attain a three-fold reduction in cost of COVID-19 screening, states should procure sets and
consumables through a consortium facilitated by the Centre instead of separately
Variable expense caps across states without accounting for the diverse expense parts will make it unviable for the economic sector to
sustain screening operations and shift the concern to the general public sector, the report says.Also, scientific need projection carried
out quarterly can pre-empt both set scarcities in addition to losses sustained by test makers due to idle capacity, it said.Given that near
a billion individuals are likely to remain unvaccinated at the majority of points in time over next 8 to 12 months, and the prospect of more
infective and deadly mutations emerging, screening and tracing should continue to be an integrated part of systemic pandemic reaction and
adjusted to complement the vaccination programme, the Rockefeller Foundation stated
With 2,76,110 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India's tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 2,57,72,440 while the daily
deaths were taped below 4,000 after 4 days, taking the toll to 2,87,122, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
