This Article First Appeared In sundayguardianlive On Jan 21, 2023
In 1947, India’s health expectancy was a mere 32 years. But today it is 70 years. We are nearing the 81-year target, which is the average for G7 countries.
The nation is celebrating 75 years of Independence—Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav—and the world is watching India’s achievements in different sectors. India managed the Covid-19 pandemic fairly well, barring the unprecedented tough time of April to June 2021 orchestrated by Delta wave. Finally, we can safely declare Covid-19 an endemic in India. The pandemic made us reflect upon our healthcare preparedness and plug the holes. It has been also instrumental in teaching a new lesson to the globe.
Our erstwhile understanding that the best of health is the monopoly of those who have wealth proved to be fallacious. The powerful nations could not keep their people healthy during the pandemic, despite unlimited resources at their disposal. Often wealth nurtures arrogance and self-centreedness to build euphoria that they can buy everything including “health”. But we have seen how the large economies collapsed like a pack of cards due to the Covid-19 pandemic that brought the rich and mighty to their knees. The changed narrative being, maintain good health, wealth will follow, and in that sense, only a healthy nation can be wealthy nation. Achieving good health isn’t an easy job though.