Challenges Faced by India in Containing COVID-19

Abstract

In this paper we will discuss the challenges faced by India to fight against novel coronavirus. We shall also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Indian economy and its poor people and migrant workers. We will see that the impact is significant if the virus is not contained soon. COVID-19 has affected countries globally due to lockdown measures and it is bound to create a ripple effect worldwide. World Health Organization (WHO), on 11th March, 2020, declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic when more and more countries experienced community transmission and clusters of cases and affected around 110 countries with 1,18,000 cases worldwide. The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, announced a nation-wide lockdown on 24th march 2020 which is taking a toll on the lives of poor and daily wage earners. Indiaâs health spending as a share of GDP is very less as compared to other countries. Short supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the frontline medical staff like masks, goggles, face shields, copper equipment, gloves and disinfectant wipes is a big concern amid this pandemic outbreak making the health care workers vulnerable. Short supply of such equipment has led to black-marketing of such products and even inflated prices of products like hand sanitizer and face masks. Some manufacturers are also coming up with fake products. There are many migrant workers stuck in metro cities without any shelter, job or income. In this paper, we will discuss the measures taken by different states in India to tackle such problems and how India can prepare itself for future health calamities and pandemics.