Pandemic preparedness and response to COVID-19 in South Asian countries

•Preparedness levels against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were relatively poor in South Asian countries•South Asian countries have lower mortality levels compared with other world countries•COVID-19 has revealed the vulnerabilities of the health system as a whole There was a low...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of infectious diseases 2021-03, Vol.104, p.169-174
Main Authors: Babu, Giridhara R., Khetrapal, Sonalini, John, Daisy A., Deepa, R., Narayan, K.M. Venkat
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asia - epidemiology
COVID-19
COVID-19 - epidemiology
COVID-19 - prevention & control
COVID-19 - virology
Humans
Pandemics - prevention & control
Review
SARS-CoV-2
SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification
South Asia
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Summary:•Preparedness levels against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were relatively poor in South Asian countries•South Asian countries have lower mortality levels compared with other world countries•COVID-19 has revealed the vulnerabilities of the health system as a whole There was a low level of pandemic preparedness in South Asia, but the region has done well in mounting an appropriate response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The rate and proportion of deaths attributed to COVID-19 are lower despite case surges similar to the rest of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the glaring vulnerabilities of the health system. In addition, the high burden of non-communicable diseases in South Asia multiplies the complexities in combating present and future health crises. The advantage offered by the younger population demographics in South Asia may not be sustained with the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and lack of priority setting for improving health systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a window for introspection, scaling up preparedness for future pandemics, and improving the health of the population overall.
ISSN:1201-9712
1878-3511
DOI:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.12.048