New Delhi: India's decentralized but unified mechanism to provide universal, accessible, equitable and affordable healthcare to one and all was the driving force behind the unique response strategy for COVID-19, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Wednesday.
Addressing BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Health Ministers Conference, he said India''s COVID-19 response approach was preemptive, proactive and graded.
Starting with early screening and isolation of passengers, imposing lockdowns and creating containment zones to prevent over-burdening of health facilities and personnel, propagating behaviour change as an integral move to contain the spread, and ultimately recognizing the imperative need for reopening of the economy in a phased, cautious and responsible manner, he said.
Vardhan said while the Centre steered this movement with constant monitoring and evaluation, providing handholding support to the states to tackle this crisis holistically, respective state governments also undertook various unique strategies to keep their response mechanism agile and vigilant.
"Our decentralized but unified mechanism to provide universal, accessible, equitable and affordable healthcare to one and all was the driving force behind our unique response strategy for COVID-19," Vardhan said.
He said India has curated its response, keeping in mind the large population size.