STATUS OF URBAN HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE TO COMBAT COVID-19 IN BIRBHUM DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL

Abstract

The outbreak of Covid-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 31st January, 2020. Every country can take at national, sub regional and local levels to reorganize essential health services in the pandemic context and maintain a safe access to every citizen. To deal with this catastrophic Corona Virus India is making preparedness with its high urban population density, deficiency in hygiene and sanitation facilities and most crucially insufficient treatment capacity. The first 2000 cases were reported in 56 days. The next 2000 in 15 days and the next 2000 cases in a week. According to the data released by the state health department, West Bengal took just 5 days from June 3 rd to June 7th to register the next 2000 cases. Till Tuesday (9th June) total cases in the state stood at 8985. With increased number of testing and the entry of migrant labourers, there was a sudden spike in the number of cases. The returning migrant workers from the highly infected zones after an unplanned lockdown delivers a major catastrophe at our doorstep. The objective of the study is to focus on the arrangement of health services for this disaster in Birbhum District, West Bengal. According to the direction of the Bengal health department, separate hospitals for Covid-19 patients are to be set up in each district in order to arrange a local set-up before the contamination expands into the community transmission stage.