Healthcare infrastructure and human resource need to be strengthened to sustain fight against Covid-19 pandemic

New Delhi: The disruption caused by COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented focus on health, hygiene, sanitation and fitness. The healthcare delivery system is changing with enhanced use of digital tools and technologies and there is greater focus on preventive and primary care. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organized a video conference titled Meet up with Innovative Solution Providers of Punjab and the Healthcare Sector to deliberate on the present challenges and future opportunities for healthcare sector. 
 
Delivering the Keynote Address, Dr. Gurinderbir Singh, Director, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Punjab stated that as Covid-19 pandemic suddenly affected the whole world, it posed both human resource and technology challenges. The disparity in urban & rural healthcare infrastructure was another big challenge. Fortunately, the infection in rural areas was very less.  Further, the industry rose to the occasion and developed new technologies and products that helped in combating the contagion virus but human resource still continues to be a challenge. He hoped that the innovations developed for fighting covid-19 will be useful in post pandemic times also.
 
Addressing the Conference, Dr. Navjot Singh Dahiya, National Vice President of Indian Medical Association (IMA) appreciated the timely support of industry in providing PPE kits, sanitizers etc for fighting the pandemic. He added Covid has opened a wide window of opportunities for the Government to restructure and reform the Indian healthcare industry to meet similar challenges in the future.

Deliberating on Current Challenges and Future Necessities of the Healthcare sector, Dr. Kuldip Singh, Punjab State President of Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that Healthcare providers and MSMEs supplying the healthcare equipment are most important for fighting covid-19.  He noted that the country was hardly prepared to face such a huge pandemic and faced shortage of monitoring and diagnostic tools. But it is a matter of pride that for the first time in the history of mankind, the cure for the new virus has been found in less than a year.
 
Dr. Kuldip Singh cautioned that the huge amount of covid related biomedical waste being produced is posing an immense risk to the environment.  He suggested that industry should focus on development of biodegradable equipment to save the ecosystem. He also suggested that low cost social distancing equipment, do it yourself kits, pulse oxymeters, immunity boosters should be developed and the supply chains should be strengthened so that the health services can reach the masses.
 
Earlier, welcoming the eminent speakers and participants, Mr. R S Sachdeva, Mentor, Punjab State Chapter, PHD Chamber shared that PHD Chamber is implementing GIZ MSME INNO programme to handhold MSMEs who have done any innovation or developed any product/process related to Covid in present times. Under the project, the Chamber is providing Technical Support to MSMEs by identifying the Challenges and issues being faced by them in their business model related to marketing, Technology, productivity, compliance to Quality standards and offering relevant solutions for their growth under the project.  He added that this was the 11th program of the series.

Innovative MSMEs, M/s Tristar Pharmaceuticals, Chandigarh; M/s SBL Speciality Coatings, Derabassi ; M/s Jal Bath Fittings, Mohal; M/s KS Munjal Industries, Ludhiana; M/s Ekam Traders, Amritsar; M/s Mansar Herbals, Jalandhar; M/s Priority Solutions, Mohali; M/s Clarity Medical, Mohali; M/s Shri Krishan Industries, Phagwara and M/s Shri Shyam Industries, Sangrur participated and made presentations to enlighten about their products which could be used in healthcare sector and hospitals for fighting the spread of pandemic and would also be useful in the post covid-19 times.

Over 80 Participants from Healthcare sector and MSMEs enrolled in MSME INNO programme participated and benefited from the programme.