Interview: ‘Shortage of doctors in rural India will hamper effective response to Covid-19 pandemic’
Rural districts in India have accounted for over 50% of new coronavirus cases in July and August, according to a research report by State Bank of India.
Based on a district wise analysis of Covid-19 cases, the report states that of the top 50 districts where the maximum number of new cases have occurred in August, Andhra Pradesh comes on top with 13 districts, of which 11 are rural. Next is Maharashtra with a total of 12 districts, of which six are rural. The World Health Organisation last fortnight expressed concern that Covid-19 is moving “efficiently” between urban and rural India.
In this interview with Scroll.in, Dr Yogesh Kalkonde, neuroimmunologist and public health practitioner, working in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district talks about the state of rural health systems and what to expect as the virus penetrates deeper into rural and peri-urban areas.
What is your understanding of the scale and speed of spread of Covid-19 in rural Maharashtra?
Cases are now being reported from rural areas of various districts in Maharashtra including those in eastern Maharashtra. However, information on these cases is based on stories reported in the news media. The number of Covid-19 cases is not reported separately for rural areas so the exact extent cannot be commented upon. I...
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