Strengthening of India’s research ecosystem, special attention to regulatory systems, dedicated preparatory funds, unified data with access, special powers to regulator, robust decision-making and global harmonisation are part of the observations made by a NITI Aayog Expert Group report ‘Future Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response: A Framework for Action’.
The report provides an action plan for a 100-day response to any future outbreak and emphasises on the philosophy of “We need to be ready for war when not at war”. It proposes an Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) chaired by Cabinet Secretary and a well-oiled machinery which readies itself before any emergency.
“There is a need to connect the surveillance data with the genomic data and develop clinical correlations using hospital and lab data and findings. A strong surveillance network is proposed, which allows community and hospital data to flow seamlessly to a unified data portal for access across relevant sectors. This will need a well-articulated data sharing and communication policy and assigning authority to key persons for decision-making,” states the report.
The report recommends a Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response Fund for pandemic preparation unlike need-based finance packages such as Mission Covid Suraksha that were made available after the pandemic had struck.
“Rather than waiting for another pandemic to hit the world, we need to be prepared for it beforehand,” said a senior health ministry official.
The report states calls for continued support in developing platform technologies and vaccine candidate libraries. “A new dedicated institute of innovation and Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for research on priority pathogens should get special financial allocation to prepare for future threats and be ready to deliver in 100 days of detection of a new pathogen,” it adds.
It draws from assessment of what worked and what did not during the Covid-19 pandemic and emphasises on an urgent need for global harmonisation of regulatory norms to allow acceptance of data across the world and a common framework for innovative technologies and accelerated response for emergency approval.
The report also talks about giving special powers and autonomy to Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CSDCO), the Indian regulatory authority through legislation besides strengthening its technical competence.
The expert group has provided a blueprint for the country to prepare for any future pandemic and the report is being considered as a “starting point” for the country’s pandemic preparedness and prevention efforts.
