India Overtakes USA In Global COVID-19 Recoveries

New Delhi: In a landmark global achievement, India has overtaken the United States to become the top country in terms of global COVID-19 recoveries. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has reported the highest number of total recoveries with more than 42 lakh (42,08,431) COVID patients recovered and discharged.

India now accounts for close to 19 per cent of the total global recoveries. This has strongly pushed the national Recovery Rate to nearly 80 (79.28) per cent, the Union Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

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It said that the Centre-led focussed, calibrated, responsive and effective measures of early identification through high and aggressive testing, prompt surveillance and tracking coupled with standardised high-quality clinical care have together resulted in this global achievement.

In its determined and resolute fight against COVID-19, India has scaled another peak of registering the highest-ever single day recoveries in last 24 hours. A total of 95,880 recoveries have been recorded, the statement said. India has maintained a sustained path of reporting very high number of recoveries. These are the result of focussed strategies leading to coordinated effective actions in the States and Union Territories. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued comprehensive Standard of Care clinical management and treatment protocols, it added.

It said that of the new recovered cases, about 60 per cent are being reported from five States – Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh while Maharashtra has alone contributed more than 22,000 (23 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh has contributed more than 11,000 (12.3 per cent) to the single day recoveries.

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Around 90 per cent of the total recovered cases are being reported from 15 states or Union Territories. The top five states with the maximum caseload — Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh — are also nodal for highest number of total recoveries.

India has allowed for rational use of ‘Investigational Therapies’ like remdesevir, convalescent plasma and tocilizumab and adopted measures such proning, use of high flow oxygen, non-invasive ventilation, use of steroids and anti-coagulants to aid recovery in COVID patients. Supervised home/facility isolation for mild and moderate cases, improved services of the ambulances for ferrying patients for prompt and timely treatment have enabled seamless and efficient patient management, the statement said.

The Ministry said that All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi has handheld the States and Union Territories for enhancing the clinical management skills of doctors in the ICUs, through the ‘National e-ICU on COVID-19 Management’ and Centers of Excellence.

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It said that the Central government has been regularly reviewing the assistance provided to the State and UT Governments and that several high level multi-specialist Central teams have been deployed there to support them for strengthening containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management.

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.