Declare COVID-19 notifiable disease, demands FICCI

New Delhi, Jun 23 () Industry body FICCI has suggested that COVID-19 should be declared a notifiable disease and the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve.

In a report titled Strategy for COVID Containment, FICCI said that there is need to reimagine the public health preparedness to appropriately address the infectious disease outbreaks.

A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities.

The report pointed out that there is an urgent need to build capacities of healthcare workers at all levels to combat the pandemic in an appropriate way.

"COVID-19 should be declared a notifiable disease ... the focus should now be shifted to 'controlled transmission' with the objective to flatten the curve," the report suggested.

It also said there is a need to decentralize the healthcare system with focus on primary healthcare.

According to the report, public health experts need to be an integral part of planning and a dedicated cadre of public health specialist should be created immediately.

Frontline workers should be adequately trained on the use of appropriate PPE according to the job- whether it is surveillance or caring of the COVID patients in healthcare facilities, the report said adding that testing needs to be ramped up, especially in most affected states.

The report also pointed out that sufficient number of oxygen concentrators need to be made available across the country to reduce the number of needless deaths.

Till date, 14,011 people have died in India due to the viral infection with the total case load rising to 4,40,215. India is in the eighth position in the global death count of 472,541. The US accounts for the highest number of deaths totalling 120,402. BKS MR