Health Dimensions of COVID-19 in India and Beyond

This open access book addresses the multiple health dimensions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in India and other countries including nine in Asia, five in Sub-Saharan Africa, and New Zealand. It explores the impact of the pandemic on mental health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, health financing, self-care, and vaccine development and distribution. The contributing authors discuss its impact on vulnerable populations, including interstate migrants and female sex workers. The significant role of media and communications, rapid dissemination of information in social media, and its impact during the COVID-19 pandemic era are discussed. It closes with lessons learned from the experiences of countries that have contained the pandemic. With contributions from experts from around the world, this book presents solutions of problems that relate to COVID-19. It is a valuable resource appealing to a wide readership across the social sciences and the humanities. Readers include governments, academicians, researchers, policy-makers, program implementers, as well as lay persons. Foreword Preface Acknowledgements Contents Editors and Contributors Acronyms 1 Introduction: Context of the Book The COVID-19 Pandemic Dynamics and Response in India Travel Restrictions The COVID-19 Health Advisory Testing and Screening for COVID-19 COVID-19 Treatment and the Impact on Pharmaceuticals The Context of This Book Responding to the Impact of COVID-19 on Health Service Delivery Investing in a Resilient and Responsive Healthcare System During COVID-19 Pandemic Using Technology to Harness Existing Resources for an Emergency: COVID-19 Response Unveiling the Clinical Face of COVID-19 The Twin Epidemics: TB and COVID-19 in India Ensuring the Continuity of Sexual Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences and Lessons from the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health Program COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Administration in India The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health, Nutrition and Hunger, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Family Planning, Gender, and Health Financing A Lifestyle Disorder that Spared Nobody: Mental Health and COVID-19 Malnutrition and COVID-19 in India Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents and Young People in India: The Missing Links During and Beyond a Pandemic Family Planning in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic Gender Insights into a Unique Threat to Human Development Financing for a Resilient Health System in India: Lessons from the COVID Pandemic The Impact of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Populations ‘I Just Want to Go Home’: What the Lockdown Meant for India’s Interstate Migrant Workers From Vulnerability to Resilience: Sex Workers Fight COVID-19 Changing Role of Media and Communications in the COVID Era Communicating COVID: Learnings and Way Forward Relevance of Social and Behavior Change and Communications in the Media on COVID-19 Response Experiences of Countries that Have Successfully Contained the Pandemic ‘Go Ahead, Go Early’: New Zealand’s COVID-19 Elimination Strategy Learnings from Asia The Research Imperative References Part I Responding to the Impact of COVID-19 On Health Service Delivery 2 Investing in a Resilient and Responsive Healthcare System During COVID-19 Pandemic Introduction Jhpiego’s Innovative COVID-19 Response Through NISHTHA Key Strategic Projects Under NISHTHA for COVID-19 Response Data-Driven Intelligence Support for COVID-19 in Maharashtra Intervention Rationale Model Description Maha Swasthya Citizens’ Application Outcome Insights Alternate Platform for Risk Communication and Community Engagement: NISHTHA Swasthya Vaani Intervention Rationale Model Description Outcome Insights Provision of Tele-medicine Services Across Health and Wellness Centers in Nagaland Intervention Rationale Model Description Outcome Insights NISHTHA COVID Sanchar—An Interactive Voice Response System-Based Surveillance and Tracking of COVID-19 Suspects and Patients in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand Intervention Rationale Model Description Outcome Insights Jhpiego’s Innovative COVID-19 Response Through Reaching Impact Saturation and Epidemic Control (RISE) Intervention Rationale RISE: India’s Strategic Response Engagement with Critical Care Working Groups Situational Assessments Using Specific Tools Strategic Interventions Under RISE Capacity Building Capacity Building Network Hub-and-Spoke Model for Training and Mentorship e-Grand Rounds e-Learning Data for Action e-Dashboards Building an Enabling Environment Jhpiego’s Efforts in Safeguarding Quality Maternal Care in India’s Private Healthcare Facilities During COVID-19 Pandemic Key Learnings from the Interventions Way Forward: Toward Resilient Healthcare Systems References 3 Using Technology to Harness Existing Resources for an Emergency: COVID-19 Response Waking Up to a Crisis Resource Crunch WHP Makes the First Move Bihar Responds First Chief Minister Gives the Push in Andhra Pradesh Comparison of the Bihar and Andhra Pradesh Projects Phase-Out 4 Unveiling the Clinical Face of COVID-19 Introduction Early days The Incipient Phase: Addressing the Unknown Clinical Presentation The Problem of Late Presentation Streamlining the System Managing the Unmanageable Drug Management The Hospital Scenario in COVID-19 Pandemic The Diary of a Patient A Doctor’s Perspective Salient Takeaways 5 The Twin Epidemics: TB and COVID-19 in India Introduction The Emergence of COVID-19 and Its Impact on Health Care and Populations Impact on the Health System and the Population TB and COVID-19 in India The Impact of COVID-19 on TB in India Diagnosis Economics and TB Treatment Workforce Challenges Mental Health Stigma Lack of Effective Communications Lack of Integrating Gender and Sexuality in Care Addressing TB and COVID-19 Together Prioritize Case Detection Address Treatment Challenges Deploy Overarching Communication Plans Initiate and Create Accessible Remote Treatment Support Create and Emphasize Community-Based Care Engage Private Health Services Strengthen Coverage and Timeliness of Direct Benefit Transfers to Patients and Providers Make Response Gender-Sensitive Concluding Comments References 6 Ensuring the Continuity of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences and Lessons from the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health Program Introduction Background Women’s Integrated Sexual Health Program COVID-19 Outbreak Ensuring Continuity of Government’s Sexual and Reproductive Health/Family Planning Services Policy and Planning Pathway Key Learnings from the Pathway Health Financing Pathway Key Learnings from the Pathway Quality Improvement Pathway Key Learnings from the Pathway Evidence and Accountability Pathway Key Learnings from the Pathway Program Contribution to Mitigating the Disruption of COVID-19 on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Family Planning Service Uptake Key Conclusions and Lessons References 7 COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Administration in India Background Vaccine Development Research and Development of Vaccines Leveraging Technology India and International Alliances Fighting the Pandemic Vaccine Surveillance Vaccine Supply, Stocking, and Financing India Action Plan Logistics, Management, Distribution, and Data Management Funding Challenges Ethical Issues Distribution and Administration Vaccine Hesitancy Concluding Comments References Part II Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health, Hunger and Nutrition, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Gender, and Financing 8 A Lifestyle Disorder that Spared Nobody: Mental Health and COVID-19 Background Approach Factors Impacting Mental Health Impact on Frontline Workers and Vulnerable Groups Impacts on the General Population Influences of Media and Virtual Dependency Influence of Changes in Working Environment Economic Insecurity and Increased Risk of Suicides and Crime The Gender Factor Concluding Comments References 9 Malnutrition and COVID-19 in India Introduction Impact of COVID on the Already Grim Statistics for Public Health and Nutrition Disruption and Slowdown in National and Global Food Production and Supply Chains of Perishables Longer Shelf Life, Easy Availability, and Lower Price of Ultra-processed Foods (High Energy–Low Nutrient Value) Disruption of Nutrition and Social Protection Programs, Preschool Nutrition, Mid-Day Meal Programs, and Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Job Loss, Family Income Threatened, and Purchasing Power Reduced Public Health and Nutrition Policy Responses to Tackle Multiple Forms of Malnutrition Especially in COVID Times International Community Responses to COVID’s Nutrition Challenge Way Forward Concluding Comments Appendix 1. Initiatives by the Central and State Governments to Ensure Food Security During COVID-19 Appendix 2. New Initiatives During COVID-19 References 10 Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adolescents and Young People in India: The Missing Links During and Beyond a Pandemic Introduction Adolescents and Young People in India Impact of COVID on AYA’s Sexual Relationships COVID and the Rise in Partner Violence Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Growing Gap for AYA During COVID Mental Health of AYA During COVID and Its Links to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Taking Stock of Responses to Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights During the Pandemic The Way Forward References 11 Family Planning in India during the COVID-19 Pandemic Introduction Access to Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services Impact of COVID-19 on Family Planning Services Projections of the Impact of Disruption of Essential Health Services Mitigating the Risk to the Family Planning Program Ensure Equitable Access to Essential Health Services Even During Emergency Situations Social Marketing Self-care for Family Planning Provide Family Planning Services Through Helplines and Tele-medicine Strengthen the Policy Environment for Choice-Based Family Planning Gender Differentials in Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic Role of ASHAs and Other Community Health Workers Critical Role of NGOs Increased Investments in Health Literacy and Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Concluding Comments References 12 Gender Insights into a Unique Threat to Human Development Introduction An Unprecedented Pandemic The Gendered Gains of Globalization—A Reversal COVID–19 Has a Gender Face—Self-perception of Risk Human Development and Gender Equality: A Reversal COVID-19 and Mental Health Research by UN Women During the Pandemic Health and Livelihoods Disease Prevention and Treatment Violence and Mental Health Child Abuse and Child Marriage COVID-19 and the LGBTQ Community Need to Orchestrate a Multi-stakeholder Response Strengthening Women’s Agency: Including LGBTQ Community Concluding Comments Appendix 1. Number of Confirmed Cases, Number of Deaths, and Percent Male Deaths by Country References 13 Financing for a Resilient Health System in India: Lessons from the COVID Pandemic Introduction Responding to COVID in India and Health Sector Preparedness Preparing the Health Sector for Shocks: The Role of Health Financing Budget 2021–22 and the Health Sector Summary and Conclusions References Part III Impact of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Populations 14 ‘I Just Want to Go Home’: What the Lockdown Meant for India’s Inter-state Migrant Workers References 15 From Vulnerability to Resilience: Sex Workers Fight COVID-19 Introduction Social Dimension—Isolation, Marginalization, Societal Pressures, and Solutions Pursued by Sex Workers Collectives During COVID-19 The Immediate Impacts of the Lockdown Class, Caste, and Religion Are Major Barriers Sex Workers Collectives and Support Economic Dimension—It is Expensive to Live in Poverty: Limited Choices—Disease or Death Health, Especially Mental Health—COVID-19’s Additional Burden on Sex Workers Resilience of Sex Workers References Part IV Changing Role of Media and Communications in the COVID-Era 16 Communicating COVID: Learnings and Way Forward Introduction Health Communications: Overview and Key Strategies Trust Timeliness Transparency Public Planning What We Have Learnt from the Past Fighting a Pandemic and an ‘Infodemic’ Misinformation Disinformation The Role of Social Media Responding to the Pandemic Through Communications The Global Response Selected Country Responses The Indian Response Learnings for the Future Recommendations Trust the Science Identify Credible Spokespersons Be Consistent in Relaying Messages Leverage Technology Invest in Digital Literacy Sustain Media Engagement Build Inter-Sectoral Cooperation References 17 Relevance of Social and Behavior Change and Communications in the Media on COVID-19 Response Introduction Lessons from Past Health Interventions in Changing Behaviors Behavior Change Efforts in Response to COVID-19 Role of Media in COVID-19 Response Concluding Comments References Part V Experiences of Countries That Have Successfully Contained the Pandemic 18 ‘Go Hard, Go Early’: New Zealand’s COVID-19 Elimination Strategy The Timeline of the Virus ...Prompted the Strategies Applied Travel Restrictions Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Testing Contact Tracing Lockdown ...Along with the Economic Response ...Backed by Kiwi Ingenuity Appendix 1: The COVID-19 Timeline Appendix 2: New Zealand’s Alert levels References 19 Learnings from Asia Introduction Learnings from the Experience of Asian Countries Preparedness of Countries: Infrastructure for Infection Control and Health Service System Infrastructure for Infection Control Health Service System Leadership: Rapid Response, Evidence-Based Strategies, and Partnerships Rapid Response Evidence-Based Approaches Partnerships Equity and Social and Cultural Dimensions Equity and Society Cultural Dimension Communications Country Policies and Strategies Taiwan South Korea Vietnam Singapore Concluding Comments References Correction to: Financing for a Resilient Health System in India: Lessons from the COVID Pandemic Correction to: Chapter 13 in: S. Pachauri and A. Pachauri (eds.), Health Dimensions of COVID-19 in India and Beyond, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7385-613 This open access book addresses the multiple health dimensions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in India and other countries including nine in Asia, five in Sub-Saharan Africa, and New Zealand. It explores the impact of the pandemic on mental health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, health financing, self-care, and vaccine development and distribution. The contributing authors discuss its impact on vulnerable populations, including interstate migrants and female sex workers. The significant role of media and communications, rapid dissemination of information in social media, and its impact during the COVID-19 pandemic era are discussed. It closes with lessons learned from the experiences of countries that have contained the pandemic. With contributions from experts from around the world, this book presents solutions of problems that relate to COVID-19. DOI 10.1007/978-981-16-7385-6