The coronavirus pandemic is one of the most difficult collective challenges facing humanity since the second world war. Amid the turmoil, national health authorities, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutes are racing to find therapies to save lives and contain the pandemic’s grave social and economic consequences. As India prepares for the third wave, there is a need for a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen our healthcare systems, and the MedTech sector plays a pivotal role to deploy innovative methods at an accelerated pace as we manage through these difficult situations.
Strengthening the healthcare ecosystem of India
During the past year, the sudden surge in the need for healthcare facilities left hospitals and medical facilities stretched for resources. As a result, the public health system was challenged with shortages of critical care beds, oxygen, and staff across the country. And now, as the ICMR predicts the third wave by the end of August, we need to ensure that a robust diagnostic and testing infrastructure is in place to be prepared for managing the pandemic effectively and to curb the spread.
Alongside testing facilities, establishing robust surveillance systems to monitor the spread of the disease and identify the progression patterns would enable public health authorities to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 while safely allowing economic and social activities. In addition, there is an urgent need to quickly address the problems of ventilator shortage, supporting health care personnel, devising treatment methods, and developing reliable vaccines for the coronavirus.
Working together to get back to normal
Mitigating the effects of the pandemic is not just the responsibility of the government or healthcare facilities alone. A collaborative effort is vital to support the development and deployment of effective COVID-19 treatments and diagnostics. Equitable access to these resources can be encouraged by partnerships between government, industry, researchers, and healthcare facilities.
It is also imperative to ensure extensive distribution and availability of testing, vaccines, and treatment options. For this, local manufacturing capabilities must be enhanced. The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the real possibilities of disruption in supply chains, even for essential items. Local production facilities will help overcome this hurdle.
A multilateral and multistakeholder approach is crucial to allow the exchange of information and resources to provide diagnostic and treatment facilities to every corner of the country.
The role of the MedTech sector
The MedTech sector in India has been an active contributor in developing innovative solutions to help curb the pandemic. The sector has taken extraordinary measures to ramp up manufacturing capacities and further augment capabilities with partnerships to support public-health needs. However, beyond the immediate crisis response, MedTech companies also need to consider other imperatives, particularly to be better prepared for future outbreaks. Hence, a foolproof, ultrafast plan is needed to strengthen crisis resilience and aim for recovery.
Following are some of the critical areas that MedTech companies need to focus on.
Collaboration for Virus Research
Given the urgency of the situation, there is a need to embrace innovative technologies and leverage the global community of researchers and scientists in identifying treatments for COVID-19. A collaborative approach of shared knowledge can help in quickly identifying solutions.
At Thermo Fisher, we offer a complete portfolio of tools and technology that allow collaboration and lifesaving discoveries. From the beginning, we have worked alongside researchers, government organizations, and local health authorities to offer innovative solutions in the global response against the pandemic. Our scope of work spreads from understanding the structure of the virus to ensuring the supply of critical instruments, supporting research, production, storage, and distribution of vaccines and therapies.
Responding to the COVID-19 testing needs
Testing plays a significant role in curbing COVID-19 and also in establishing surveillance systems. To maintain pace with the rising demand for testing, the need for test kits that are accurate, accessible, and provide fast results is critical. Equally important is the ability to process large volumes of samples in a short time. Further, the issue of mutations looms large, with new variants capable of spreading faster. Detecting viral mutations helps predict patterns of evolution of the disease. It may also affect methodologies adopted for disease control and treatment. This highlights the need for advanced technologies and solutions.
As a company, we believe in offering solutions that cater to the evolving needs of the industry. Our advanced, industry-leading solutions put us in good stead to support our customers and society.
Vaccine research and supply chain management
Vaccines are the most promising solution to curbing the spread of COVID-19. Approximately six percent of India’s population has been vaccinated, as per the latest figures released in the fourth sero-survey. However, as the government aims to vaccinate all adults by the end of this year, more vaccine doses need to be rolled out. Against this backdrop, the supply chain system for distributing COVID-19 vaccines is another critical area that needs attention. As government and biopharma players continue to prioritize vaccine development for mass immunization against COVID-19, bulk production and distribution of the vaccine without efficient cold storage can disrupt the vaccine supply. Maintaining adequate and accurate cold storage could be a constraint, given that the number of vaccines produced is relatively large.
Further, temperature variations can also impact the viability and efficacy of vaccines. At Thermo Fisher Scientific, we offer a wide array of cold storage solutions ranging from precise lab refrigerators (20-80C), freezers (-200 to -400C), and ultra-low temperature freezers (-860C) that are needed to deliver every vaccine at full strength and efficacy. We are also closely working with key decision-makers and authorities to ensure the country is better prepared and equipped for the effective distribution and last-mile storage of Covid-19 vaccines.
Moving forward
Battling COVID-19 is a daunting task, and with a possible third wave right around the corner, innovation and collaboration will be at the center of all solutions. As the situation continues to evolve, at Thermo Fisher, we will continue our relentless efforts towards finding the right solutions and fulfill our mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.
This article is authored by Amit Chopra, Managing Director, India and South Asia, Thermo Fisher Scientific
