| | AUGUST 202119global presence scaling their production capacities. Few companies even developed innovative diagnostic solutions in record time from start to end.Though COVID-19 has undoubtedly proven the importance of clinical diagnostics and the capacity to which we can collectively raise, it has also dampened the efforts in continuity of services like prognosis, di-agnosis and treatment of diseases like Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and non-communicable diseases like Can-cers which have been rampant for long and cost the country dearly. Cancer management has had a severe impact due to COVID. Ongoing programmes like screening for Cervical Cancer, the only preventable cancer, has been dramatically impacted. While the strong link between high-risk persistent Human Papilloma Vi-rus (HPV) infections and the occurrence of cervical cancer is well established and documented, the num-bers are daunting. One Indian woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes. The Paradox is we know the cause, we know it is preventable, there are screening options like VIA, Cytology tests and HPV DNA and vaccines available, but the death rates are the high-est. Lack of awareness is the root cause and as a Na-tion's priority we need to address this on a mission mode by leveraging media, social network and also each of us as an individual. A Pandemic like covid almost stalled these efforts in some places both in Public and Private set up, ensuring continuity is vital.Few of our country's Health Programmes had seen remarkable progress over the last few years with commitment at the highest level in the country, em-bracing collaborative models to deliver the last mile service, adoption of innovative technologies. A fine example would be the progress of TB programme of India. As per WHO Global TB report 2019, the inci-dence of TB reduced from 300/ lakh population in 1990 to 199/ lakh population in 2018 and mortality reduced from 76/lakh population in1990 to 32/lakh population in 2018. An Accelerator campaign to Na-tional Strategic Plan `TB Harega, Desh Jeetega' has been launched on 25th September 2019. The cam-paign has seven pillars- Advocacy and communica-tion, Health & Wellness centers, Inter-Ministerial Collaboration, Private and Corporate Sector engage-ment, community participation and Latent TB Infec-tion Management. The core of all activities of TB Programme has been a patient centric approach a critical element that has become more relevant than ever during such pandemic. It should all be in the DNA to ensure this should be sustained throughout no matter any obstacle.The seven pillars of Accelerator campaign to National Strategic Plan (of TB) Advocacy and com-munication, Health & Wellness centers, Inter-Min-isterial Collaboration, Private and Corporate Sector engagement, community participation and early dis-ease management will hold good for not only Tuber-culosis but also cervical cancer or any such highly prevalent disease or cancer conditions in our country which would trigger a marked shift in the approach of many companies to take a disease based rather than a technology based one.So, Clinical Diagnostics is an indispensable part-ner and the compass that navigates the clinician and Health care Professional in providing timely and improved patient care. What today is disrup-tive technology will undoubtedly be the norm in the After-Corona era. The world and the governments will be focused more on health care with specifics on prevention and treatment regimens that would bring in newer innovations using tools that would make patient management easier. The goal should be to bring in accessible, affordable technologies that can be scaled up immediately like when we are faced with a situation as this pandemic which is teaching us many lessons. This is certainly not going to be the last pandemic but would be the first that has helped us shape a new ecosystem and I suppose also realign our own minds to new priorities in life. Ensuring continuity of services and patient centric approach is vital, `it should all be in the DNA' than ever before. CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS IS AN INDISPENSABLE PARTNER AND THE COMPASS THAT NAVIGATES THE CLINICIAN AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL IN PROVIDING TIMELY AND IMPROVED PATIENT CARE
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