NEW DELHI: Even as private hospitals across the country have drawn flak in recent weeks for not providing sufficient COVID-19 or other essential medical services during the epidemic, the Association of Healthcare Providers of India — country’s largest body representing them — on Wednesday stressed that "herd immunity" could be the only way to control the outbreak.
The association which represents most of the private hospitals in the country, mostly big and medium hospitals, also wants that CMs, district magistrates and gram panchayats should be made responsible for epidemic control in their respective jurisdictions with special focus on containment zones.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the association said there is a medical view, which also encourages for the lifting of total lockdown. "By this view virus is not going away very soon. There is no way that we can sanitise the whole world or even a locality to get rid of the virus. We are therefore left with three options to control of COVID-19 vaccine, effective drug and herd immunity," it also said.
The AHPI feels that since vaccine and drug may take time, the only answer may be herd immunity. "Global trend shows that 80 per cent of the affected population comes with a very mild infection, which may require no hospitalization. Then we have any number of asymptotic cases, who may not show any symptoms and get cured by themselves," it said,
The association also said only 20 per cent of affected people may need some kind of hospitalisation, including 5 per cent of them requiring ICUs. "The herd immunity calls for healthy and young people to go for work. The industry and enterprises should take responsibility at workplaces for social distance, hand hygiene, surface," said the association.
AHPI director general Giridhar Gyani said that while there had been a "fear psychosis" among healthcare workers in private hospitals--which led to many hospitals either shutting down completely or refusing patients — they were now getting used to the "new normal". "We are asking hospitals to work at the full capacity now and hopefully gradually they will follow," Gyani added.