WION Edit: Coronavirus outbreak - why the private sector needs to contribute

The coronavirus pandemic is fundamentally changing our societies - people are working from home, the streets are virtually empty,public spaces have been shut and experts are advising against social interactions.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has laid great emphasis on testing, they advice testing every suspected case. Enhanced testing has been the backbone of every successful coronavirus response.

In India, more than 50 labs are functional, but the number is a drop in the ocean for India. So what should the government do? Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Also Read: India ably tackles coronavirus outbreak

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Take the case of Spain, only a fraction of India's size and population, the government has decided to take over private healthcare services.

The entire Spanish healthcare system has been nationalised to deal with the crisis. All private health providers and their facilities are now under government control.

The government can now even order a requisition of face masks and Covid-19 tests. Other countries are mulling different forms of nationalisation.

France might take over big companies if it's necessary. Germany too is thinking about supporting pharmaceutical companies.

In America, there is a call to take over critical private-sector health companies. The Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, has asked the American government to take control of key firms.

South Korea scaled up its testing by involving the private sector. The MERS outbreak in 2015 had killed 38 in South Korea. At that time, South Korea enacted a key reform.

It allowed the government an almost instantaneous approval to gain access to testing systems. For the coronavirus outbreak, 90 per cent of the testing has been done by the private sector in South Korea.

India could adopt a similar strategy to ramp-up its fight against the Wuhan virus. Services of the private sector could be requisitioned. Already, accredited private labs have been allowed to test for Covid-19.

There is a tight watch on supplies. Earlier this month, India had blocked the export of some essential drugs. A move to ensure adequate supply during the coronavirus outbreak.

Countries around the world are making a case for nationalisation. Indian government might as well consider some form of regulation for the health sector. It seems to be the only way to deal with shortages.

India must dramatically scale up its efforts to contain the coronavirus. And it's time for the private players to do their bit. We must learn from Air India. The dying national carrier and its staff, evacuating Indians stranded in all parts of the world.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)