Renowned cardiologist Dr Ramakanta Panda has said that the pandemic has exposed the inadequacy of existing healthcare systems and it is wrong to draw comparisons with Korea, a country with the population equal to that of a single Indian state.

While speaking to Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance during Visionary Talk series held by the public policy and governance analysis platform, Dr. Panda while praising the efforts of Centre and state governments said that  the pandemic has exposed inadequacies in healthcare systems not just in India but all across the world. “It has clearly proved that to survive every country must have a very robust public healthcare system where large part  of the population is covered under public healthcare. Private healthcare by its nature cannot be an answer to society’s problems in health” he said.

“Looking at India’s population density, magnitude of problem and  accessibility, it  has done a great job in fighting the pandemic and it is inappropriate to compare it with a  country like Korea whose population is only that of Uttar Pradesh’’ said Dr Panda as he added that it was due to fabulous handling by the central and state governments, medical and paramedical staff and professionals, ancillary and support personnel, the police and  grass root level workers who stepped up their efforts and  controlled the spread, reinfection and death rate  due to virus.

He was responding to a question on how do we ensure accessible and upgraded healthcare systems in the country

“By its very nature private healthcare cannot be accessible to all, not even in the richest country. Not a single country has been able to afford it. It can only be a substitute and a support’’ said Dr Panda adding that even in the United States, 30% of its population was not covered with Obama Care. He explained that in private healthcare the doctor has to purchase land, building, equipment, manpower, electricity, material’s and everything else which constitute 70%-80% of the costs which a robust public health care system subsidizes  through public taxes.

While speaking on if India has developed herd immunity against Covid -19, Dr Panda said that the   concept of herd immunity is only for theoretical discussion and not a practical concept. It can happen in a small country where the population is equal to a Mumbai suburb or smaller and spread out. “The only way to get herd immunity is through immunizers.”

Sharing his views on deep rooted cut practices in healthcare systems in India, the renowned cardiologist said that earlier this practice was very common in several countries including the US. “At the end of the day the doctor is charging extra to his patient to pay that cut to another doctor. The doctors realized it is an evil system. It is almost eradicated from most countries except in India” said India’s leading cardiac surgeon.