By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The healthcare infrastructure readied to deal with Covid-19 may now be used to deal with tuberculosis (TB) circumstances, and develop a brand new vaccine because the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine (used for inoculation in opposition to TB) was formulated over 100 years in the past, stated Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former World Health Organisation chief scientist on Friday.

Delivering a public speech titled ‘Towards Health Equity: a Vision for India’ organised by REACH, a Chennai-based NGO that has been engaged on tuberculosis eradication since its inception, to mark its twenty fifth anniversary, she stated “Without vaccines, we can’t wipe out infectious diseases. Genetic sequencing is also now possible. We have the latest technology, and new platforms like mRNA platform, viral vector platform, and others, which were used to tackle Covid. We should use them to manage TB eradication also.”

“Creating a new vaccine will be challenging. But with the right collaboration and investments, it can be done. Also, why can’t we devise rapid tests for TB as we had for Covid? During the peak of the pandemic, scientists made unprecedented progress in treatment methods. Dozens of vaccines were developed at record speed without compromising on safety. Around 14 billion doses of Covid vaccine have been administered across the world so far,” she stated and added that this progress ought to open our eyes to the chances of recent innovation and analysis fashions. 

Opining that India ought to lead the world on this side, the physician added, “Technology, science, researchers and corporations can be found to us now. There must be a imaginative and prescient. India may present that and lead from the forefront since our nation had devised plans to eradicate TB forward of the remainder of the world. The authorities ought to first take into account the social financial determinants.

Social determinants of well being account for 33% to 55% of our healthcare outcomes, and solely the remaining are determinants based mostly on entry to well being providers. We want to have a look at financial facets resembling schooling, entry to healthcare and its high quality.” Health Minister Ma Subramanian additionally spoke on the occasion. Nalini Krishnan, government Secretary and co-founder, REACH and others had been current on the event.

<br /> CHENNAI: The healthcare infrastructure readied to deal with Covid-19 may now be used to deal with tuberculosis (TB) circumstances, and develop a brand new vaccine because the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine (used for inoculation in opposition to TB) was formulated over 100 years in the past, stated Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former World Health Organisation chief scientist on Friday.</p> <p>Delivering a public speech titled ‘Towards Health Equity: a Vision for India’ organised by REACH, a Chennai-based NGO that has been engaged on tuberculosis eradication since its inception, to mark its twenty fifth anniversary, she stated “Without vaccines, we can’t wipe out infectious diseases. Genetic sequencing is also now possible. We have the latest technology, and new platforms like mRNA platform, viral vector platform, and others, which were used to tackle Covid. We should use them to manage TB eradication also.”</p> <p>“Creating a new vaccine will be challenging. But with the right collaboration and investments, it can be done. Also, why can’t we devise rapid tests for TB as we had for Covid? During the peak of the pandemic, scientists made unprecedented progress in treatment methods. Dozens of vaccines were developed at record speed without compromising on safety. Around 14 billion doses of Covid vaccine have been administered across the world so far,” she stated and added that this progress ought to open our eyes to the chances of recent innovation and analysis fashions. </p> <p>Opining that India ought to lead the world on this side, the physician added, “Technology, science, researchers and corporations can be found to us now. There must be a imaginative and prescient. India may present that and lead from the forefront since our nation had devised plans to eradicate TB forward of the remainder of the world. The authorities ought to first take into account the social financial determinants.</p> <p>Social determinants of well being account for 33% to 55% of our healthcare outcomes, and solely the remaining are determinants based mostly on entry to well being providers. We want to have a look at financial facets resembling schooling, entry to healthcare and its high quality.” Health Minister Ma Subramanian additionally spoke on the occasion. Nalini Krishnan, government Secretary and co-founder, REACH and others had been current on the event.<br />