Here are my 2 cents health care professional on Where did india go wrong in this second SARS-COVID-19 wave : (long thread alert)

1- POOR ANTICIPATION:
Afterall, covid is a viral infection. Take all the pandemics that have occurred so far into account, what is common in all?1/n

High mutagenicity of the viral genome which lead to subsequent multiple waves.
We were constantly being warned of warned of this. The administration, despite multiple warnings, was complacent on anticipating it.
2/n

2- INADEQUATE STRENGTHENING OF HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE :
After the first peak had subsided, we had time to ramp up our resources, increase the capacity of hospital beds and intensive care/ high dependency units, prepare for segregation of covid / non covid facilities
2/n

So that other medical conditions (eg cancer) can be given prompt attention, both from patient and HCP side. Covid Overburdened doctors/hospital and patients facing logistical/financial constraints have led to such conditions getting sidelined.
3/n

3- THE CHICKEN NECK : OXYGEN
80% sos calls during last month have been for lack of O2 supply.
Being a viral pneumonitis, O2 holds a primary role in managing moderate-severe cases. Again, mutant strains with massive transmission and rapidly progressing to severe illness
4/n

Warranted that our hospitals might require upto 15-20 times more continuous o2 supply to handle the severe cases. And we were caught off guard here.
State governments crippled with inertia and central govt with inadequate monitoring
5/n

4- VACCINATION
India has done commendable job in indigenous vaccine production.just 2 production facilities given the task of vaccinating 120 crore+ (240 crore doses) was never gonna work out.Speedy local trials and approval of certain foreign vaccines in dec-jan was needed
6/n

5-LOCKDOWN
This graph shows how effective our first lockdown was.
Again, given the economic fragility, second lockdown was always gonna be a tricky admin decision. The daily wage workers and small scale industries would have taken the toll
7/n

6- MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
Neet pg in jan 2021 when case load was low would have added a vital 30-40k plus qualified force of frontline workers.
Discussion of Conducting/delaying now in the peak of a pandemic is a separate discussion
8/n

7- SOCIAL FAILURE OF ALL CITIZENS TO ABIDE BY COVID APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR
Kumbh melas, ramzan celebrations, elections, farmer protest, festivals and numerous maskless citizens out in the public have failed us
9/n

We would argue why farmers protest, not much covid cases during that time. Il say, remember the uk variant?A new variant requires inoculation and then amplification.Hence that event, as per recent tracings, can be attributed as an inoculating event, which later got amplified
10/n

8- STATE-CENTER INCORDINATION

While health is a state subject in which all state governments have failed, center failed in its role to centralise, co-ordinate, monitor and make sure the states implement adequate measures.
11/n

9- OPPOSITION
Failed in its role for constructive criticism of the government, sit down with it and strategise. It was involved in fear mongering and anti vaccine panic spreading. And hence, there was no beneficial criticism. Only personal politics
12/n

10- MEDIA
sensationalisation of everything, vendetta and agenda based reporting, and then when pandemic hit, internationally circulated pessimistic news about india portraying us as a rogue nation like somalia etc, thur crossed the line in name of telling the truth.
13/n

So, who is responsible? Administration, first! Then We, collectively, as a nation, are responsible. Who will have to own up to it? Our leaders(hence we have elected them and call them LEADERS)
14/n

Who has to suffer?
The patients, the families of the deceased and The eternally over burdened HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
Thank you