By Nikhil Dedha

New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): India has made significant efforts to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure after the COVID-19 pandemic, said Priya Basu, Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund at the World Bank.

Speaking exclusively with ANI, Basu highlighted the steps taken by India to be better prepared for future health emergencies.

Basu pointed out that schemes like Ayushman Bharat and the National Digital Health Mission are key parts of India's strategy to improve healthcare access and infrastructure.

When asked if India is better prepared to handle another pandemic, Basu said, 'I would say that efforts have been made in India to improve access to healthcare, healthcare infrastructure. There's the Ayushman Bharat and There's the National Digital Health Mission.'

She added that preparing a country for the next pandemic is not an easy task but important lessons have been learned from COVID-19.

'Lessons that involve having that surge capacity to be able to quickly ramp up testing, having the necessary equipment, PPE capacity in hospitals, in terms of ICU units, ICU beds,' she explained.

Basu said that while the world is still not fully prepared for the next outbreak, efforts are being made.

She also spoke about the Pandemic Fund, a global initiative launched in 2022, which helps low and middle-income countries build their pandemic preparedness.

'The pandemic fund is one shining example of really intentionally working with low and middle income countries to strengthen their capacity,' Basu said.

Talking about investments, she said, 'The costs involved or the investments required to get all low and middle income countries to the right level of preparedness are a small fraction of the losses that the world will incur if we are not prepared.'

She highlighted a joint study by the World Bank and WHO that estimated USD 150 billion of investment over five years could prepare all countries compared to the trillions lost during COVID-19.

Basu also explained how India is benefiting from the Pandemic Fund. 'We have a project in India which is a grant that is blended with loans from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, as well as technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organisation,' she said.

She detailed that a USD 25 million grant from the Pandemic Fund is supporting India's One Health mission by strengthening animal surveillance, animal laboratories, veterinary workforce, and farm biosecurity.

India has been an active supporter of the Pandemic Fund from the start.

'India is a founding contributor to the pandemic fund. It is one of the countries that came forward right in the beginning,' Basu said.

She also mentioned that India recently doubled its contribution to the fund and sits on its governing board as a voting member. (ANI)