In such an epidemic, India will lose 2 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP)--that is, Rs 3.8 trillion.
With
increased mobility, unprepared health facilities and the possibility
of weaponising disease, a viral respiratory disease can travel
through the world quickly, turning into an outbreak capable of
killing up to 80 million people and wiping out 5 per cent of the
world’s economy, a new report has warned.
In
such an epidemic,
India will lose 2 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP)--that
is, Rs 3.8 lakh crore ($53.5 billion) or roughly twice the Centre’s
agriculture budget in 2019-20.
This
is unless world leaders increase funding for disease control and
coordinate their efforts to develop strategies to contain the
disease, the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), convened by
the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, said.
Drawing
on the recommendations made by experts after the 2009 H1N1 influenza
pandemic and 2014-16 Ebola
outbreak along with other reports and data, the 15-member panel of
experts, politicians and heads of agencies assessed the preparedness
of countries in dealing with pandemics. The panel includes former WHO
director-general Gro Harlem Brundtland and International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies secretary-general Elhadj As
Sy.
An
outbreak of a viral disease such as Ebola, severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) and influenza will be more difficult to manage at a
time when travel times are shorter than ever before, the report,
released on September 18, 2019, said. Management is even more
difficult in underdeveloped countries with large populations lacking
access to healthcare.
Countries
and donor agencies need to increase expenditure on building systems
that detect health emergencies to ensure timely and adequate response
and share data and resources like vaccines to minimise the spread of
the pandemic, the board recommended.
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