Notwithstanding several healthcare reforms, India remains badly placed to tackle the third wave of Covid-19 infections sweeping the nation, Fitch Solutions on Friday said.

Fitch also added that the unprecedented crisis has highlighted the need to increase investment in the healthcare sector. After some success in curbing the virus considerably, India’s economy had returned to functioning normally by the second half of 2020.

"However, over recent weeks, the virus has started spreading rapidly, partly due to complacency on the social distancing measures and mask-wearing policies," Fitch Solutions said in a note. With daily COVID-19 cases crossing the grim milestone of 2 lakh, several hospitals across the country are stretched beyond their capacities in handling the rising burden of the highly infectious disease.

States such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Chennai, Punjab and Karnataka bearing the maximum load of the pandemic are already falling short of health infrastructure and equipment, ranging from oxygen to ventilators, it said. "Despite several healthcare reforms, India remains badly placed to tackle the rapid spread of the coronavirus," it said, adding the epidemic could be worse in India if it is not adequately contained. With 8.5 hospital beds per 10,000 population and 8.0 physicians per 10,000, the country's healthcare sector is not equipped for such a crisis.

"Moreover, the significant inefficiency, dysfunctioning, and acute shortage of the healthcare delivery systems in the public sector do not match up with the growing needs of the population," it noted.

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