Is digitisation of Indian healthcare system an answer to novel COVID-19?

With COVID-19 outbreak gone pandemic, stress on healthcare sector of India seems huge and calls for a successful defence. As per the public health experts, a digital healthcare infrastructure could be one possible way to defy the impact of COVID-19.

India is currently at the cusp of the COVID-19 crisis. To prevent an exponential increase in cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) has advised the countries to take immediate steps in identifying people who may be positive for COVID-19, and provide them with adequate care and isolating them from others.

Radha Rangarajan, chief scientific officer at HealthCube says, with the help of digital technology, patients can be handled well, which also reduces exposure to healthcare workers.

It is the portable diagnosis system that can be used easily anywhere by anyone with minimal training. She said, in some areas, additional provisions for hospital beds, ventilators can be dispatched.

Digitization could assist healthcare workers give qualitative care to the patients without any inconvenience. Furthermore, this would improve efficiency and help achieve improved health outcomes in the country.

The NITI Aayog report suggested that India needs its own digital platform for data across healthcare sector and insurers. Once considered a luxury has now become a necessity and a recent reduction in technology costs is a testament to that- making digital health ever more affordable and attainable.

The COVID-19 virus has claimed 5 lives in India and has infected over 200 nationals. With the advent of technology, companies are coming up with ideas ranging from portable diagnostic services and home healthcare.