Age and co-morbidity are definite factors that affect the outcome of contracting COVID-19, Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has said. He stated that the apex health body is soon set to release the findings of three studies that looks at heart health following COVID-19 infection.
While experts have been indicating a rise in sudden deaths due to heart attack following COVID-19 infections in a relatively younger and fitter population, this series of studies when released will be the first such comprehensive analysis made available by the government.
“India has launched these studies to understand where we stand in terms of heart health and the effect COVID and vaccination have had on the heart. This is a population-based large study where patients have been followed up and meticulous research work done. We should be able to share the information by this month-end,” Dr. Bahl said on the sidelines of the recently held G-20 meeting on health.
He added that India was now reworking its strategy and infrastructure put in place during the pandemic years to tackle other infectious diseases.
“During COVID, a network of 3,500 lab facilities around India was created which is now being re-purposed for TB molecular diagnosis that has been scaled up in the entire country. ICMR is also building kits and technology that can detect other infectious diseases much like multiplex tests that can be used for bacterial and viral diseases. The most common syndromes will be covered under this technology; we are working at managing time and cost. ICMR is working on capacity building in the country and working closely with industry. These labs will then come handy,’‘ he said.
Speaking on the work done to help bring in drug equity and security for the poorest of the poor, Dr. Bahl said that post-pandemic the world is seeing renewed cooperation on various disease counter-measures such as vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
The key question now is what kind of co-operation and platforms can be built that will help all countries including India and other low- and middle-income countries in manufacturing of counter-measures and in contribute to research and development, he said.
“So, we are taking a network approach to work which we think is more equitable and we will concentrate on technology sharing rather than transfer. This is a positive, progressive step towards democratic healthcare growth and availability. For this development of manpower, infrastructure and funding is needed. During COVID, India did well in vaccine manufacturing and diagnostics and a lot of the scale-up was because India had built on strength over a period which came handy when the pandemic struck,” he said.
Speaking on intellectual property rights, Dr. Bahl said a large amount of intellectual property comes from academia and research institutions that are then given to companies to develop on.
“Even in India, the ICMR is funding development of technology in premier institutes and acting as a bridge between this knowledge base and enablers of those making this available to consumers. It is also now all about technology. We have learnt that we can’t survive as islands,” he added.
