WHO Calls India’s Lockdown A ‘Farsighted Decision’ Implemented Well In Time

Dr David Nabarro, World Health Organisation’s (WHO) coronavirus special envoy, recently came on record and spoke about the need of the hour: the continued fight against the disease.

Among other things, he praised India for its preemptive measures and seemed hopeful for the country’s quick recovery.

Speaking to HT, Nabarro called the 21-day lockdown in India a “far-sighted decision,” adding that it was imposed “quite early on.” The PM Modi-led government imposed the lockdown when there were limited cases and that, in Nabarro’s opinion, “gave the whole country the opportunity to come to terms with the reality of this enemy.”

The timely lockdown, in the end, gave authorities plenty of time and room to develop capacities at the local level.

In addition to the lockdown, Nabarro stressed that the authorities need to focus on other key parameters. In an interview with India Today, he mentions that a good community-level public health service and optimum security of health workers are also two very important aspects of the fight against coronavirus in India.

The idea is to target the community-level spread of the coronavirus. A three-step approach was highlighted by Nabarro in an interview. First is to detect people with disease and isolate them. Second is to find their contacts and quarantine them. Third and most importantly, to be ready to respond to outbreaks very quickly. ”I see it recognised in India,” he told HT.

There were some countries that could not follow upon these measures in time and Nabarro put it, “they now have to struggle with the most immense suffering.”

Going forward, Nabarro does not anticipate the disappearance of COVID-19 altogether. As and when the countries go back to being operational, Nabarro says that “people may have to consider new norms for the foreseeable future.”

Source: India Times