6 | Conclusion
The covid-19 pandemic poses a
public health emergency of global concern. It created daunting
managerial, financial, and ethical challenges for governments,
especially urban local authorities. While the pandemic traveled to all
corners of the world, the intensity of its impacts varied between
countries and cities. Some governments have not only contained the
pandemic, given its epidemiological and biological ramifications but
also minimized its catastrophic consequences. Preparedness to meet the
challenges of unforeseen calamities has been a key factor in the
effective management of COVID-19. This encompasses the capabilities of
government institutions, including municipalities, as well as the
population, to prevent and control infectious diseases.
Covid-19 has taught that
countries with strong public health foundations did well to fight
against the pandemic. Developing countries with massive poverty levels
and a lack of finance, planning, governance, and management capacity
have been more vulnerable to the spread of contagion and pandemic
outbreaks. The messages from past pandemics, including Covid 19 and
other disasters for developing countries, are loud and clear. Cities are
not prepared to tackle unforeseen emergencies. Their infrastructure is
weak and has not kept pace with urbanization, economic growth, and
public health needs. They do not have a proper water, drainage, and
sewerage system. Their municipalities are weak – with abysmal finances
and grossly inadequate capacity. Ironically, we have had an airborne
pandemic in the form of Covid 19 in recent years. The next pandemic
could be waterborne or vector-borne – cholera or plague. There is no
choice for developing countries like India but to build a public health
foundation.
Over the years, diseases have strongly influenced urban development
patterns in countries. Epidemics and pandemics have shaped the
morphology of cities. Given the potential of cities to adapt, the
relationship between health and the urban environment should be
approached from a vulnerability viewpoint. The struggle against
infectious diseases is, in fact, the root of many urban development
initiatives around the world. As a defense against diseases like
dysentery and typhoid, ancient Rome created the first sewage system. The
magnificent extension of the sewers and enlargement of the streets of
Baron Haussmann’s Paris was partly done to combat cholera. New York City
resorted to zoning and building regulations to safeguard citizens from
obnoxious and unhealthy developments.
Planned public health infrastructure is essential for countries like
India to successfully prepare for and respond to future pandemics. It is
critical for public health institutions to be effective and for strong
collaboration among stakeholders. Providing resources and
decision-making power to local governments can improve pandemic
mitigation and containment initiatives. It is also necessary to provide
a comprehensive safety net for the poor to shield them from the hazards
of disasters. For a comprehensive approach to crisis management,
pandemic planning and response should be integrated with urban planning,
public health, and disaster management frameworks. Long-term pandemic
resilience requires investment in scientific research and vaccine
development. Promoting social movements for sanitation and hygiene
practices can considerably minimize the danger of infectious diseases.
Adopting modern management methods and information technology can
improve pandemic response capabilities.
India is making significant
progress in the public health sector, from the disease phase to
achieving health for all and having long-term development goals. A
pandemic started by a micro-organism compels us to return to pandemic
prevention tactics used in the history of pandemics. Understanding the
history of public health provides us with the learning to face difficult
circumstances with time-tested knowledge and to overcome problems. From
this historical study, we have learned that public health has seen
numerous ups and downs from ancient times to the present. While the
public health system in ancient India was powerful, it experienced
setbacks because of invasion and colonial domination. However, since
independence, India has significantly improved public health standards,
but for a sustainable and resilient future, the country needs to invest
in cities, public health infrastructure, poverty reduction, research &
development, and innovation in the management of disasters, including
pandemics.
Ethics Statement – Not applicable
Funding - There was no outside funding for the current study.
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to
disclose.
Data Declarations - Data sharing is not applicable to this
article as all datasets are available in the public domain.
References: