Doctors from India are alarming that the situation in this country regarding the COVID-19 epidemic is dramatic – said Prof. Joanna Zajkowska from the University Teaching Hospital in Białystok. There is a lack of hospital beds, drugs, oxygen and, consequently, even burial sites.
In the last 414 hours, 188 new coronavirus infections were diagnosed in India, and 3915 infected people died, according to data from the country’s health ministry Friday. This week alone, 1,57 million infections and over 15,1 thousand were recorded in India. deaths.
Since the outbreak in India, 21,49 million infections and 234 deaths have been reported in India due to COVID-083.
Polish Press Agency: The whole world is currently looking with concern at India, where there is a huge increase in the incidence of COVID-19. Everyone has probably heard of the Indian variant of the virus. The professor is in contact with doctors from this country, as well as ordinary residents. What are they conveying? What needs do they pay attention to? Can the international community help somehow?
Joanna Zajkowska: I ask them about a lot of COVID-19 issues. They point out that the international community can help provide oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, drugs and vaccines. They would also like to put pressure on their government, because many people believe that it has lost its way in this situation. Some even write to me that it was politicians who contributed to the spread of the virus by continuing rallies and meetings across the country. Doctors point out that the tragic epidemic situation is directly related to the collapse of the health care system. If it had worked, many people would have had a chance to be saved, in the opinion of specialists from this country. They write about the devastating situation in their country, the inability to cremate the bodies and bury them. It’s a terrible picture.
PAP: Do patients in India currently have access to drugs that could improve the prognosis of COVID-19?
SW: Doctors from India use many of the same drugs as we do in Poland, drugs that are used all over the world. Of course, just like us, they don’t have a specific drug for COVID-19 because they don’t. However, specialists from this country point out the shortages of medicines. They talk about a black market where basic products for COVID-19 treatment have started to be sold at very high prices. For example, the normal cost of remdesivir in India is £ 3000, and it is often sold for £ 30. pounds. Doctors from this country directly point out that many poor people cannot afford such a purchase, so they lose their lives.
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PAP: What is the availability of vaccines in India? Is the vaccination process conducted?
SW: From the message that reaches me, there are not enough vaccines for the risk groups. Doctors from this country talk about a certain paradox, namely that the world considers them the largest producer of vaccines against COVID-19. The problem, however, is how they point out that these vaccines do not reach the local community, and certainly not to the extent that is needed. The person responsible for producing the vaccine was due to go to the UK because of threats.
PAP: With such a large population as living in India, probably many people cannot get into hospitals. What do doctors recommend to them then?
SW: Yes. Messages from India say that in a country of 1,4 billion people, there are not enough beds, oxygen, medical equipment and doctors to deal with such an epidemic. Therefore, most people have to deal with the disease at home. Isolation and symptomatic treatment are recommended. Sometimes antibiotics such as azithromycin are also prescribed. Treat fever and body aches with paracetamol. They also use cold cetizine hydrochloride, antibacterial drugs, incl. doxycycline. Supplementation with vitamins C and D as well as zinc is also recommended.
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PAP: When you listen to or read reports from India, are you afraid that the Indian variant may reach Poland and Europe on a mass scale? Or, due to the ongoing vaccination process, can Europe protect itself against the next waves of the COVID-19 epidemic?
SW: On a massive scale, rather not. Vaccination levels are already noticeable, but there may be outbreaks that need to be monitored. However, reports of further variants in India are worrying, so we should be careful and vaccinate to avoid giving new variants a chance.
Tomasz Więcławski interviewed
Read also:
- The Indian mutation of the coronavirus in Poland. Is it dangerous? Here’s what we know
- What are the symptoms of the Indian coronavirus mutation? [WE EXPLAIN]
- Indian variant considered worrying. The threat level has increased
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