The outbreak of COVID-19 brought social and economic life to a standstill. In this study the focus is on assessing the impact on affected sectors, such as aviation, tourism, retail, capital markets, MSMEs, and oil. International and internal mobility is restricted, and the revenues generated by travel and tourism, which contributes 9.2% of the GDP, will take a major toll on the GDP growth rate. Aviation revenues will come down by USD 1.56 billion. Oil has plummeted to 18-year low of $ 22 per barrel in March, and Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn huge amounts from India, about USD 571.4 million. While lower oil prices will shrink the current account deficit, reverse capital flows will expand it. Rupee is continuously depreciating. MSMEs will undergo a severe cash crunch. The crisis witnessed a horrifying mass exodus of such floating population of migrants on foot, amidst countrywide lockdown. Their worries primarily were loss of job, daily ration, and absence of a social security net. India must rethink on her development paradigm and make it more inclusive. COVID 19 has also provided some unique opportunities to India. There is an opportunity to participate in global supply chains, multinationals are losing trust in China. To ‘Make in India’, some reforms are needed, labour reforms being one of them.
The prevalence of physical inactivity in India is estimated to be at 34%, the highest among South Asian nations. Interventions, such as outdoor gymnasiums/gyms, aiming to promote physical activity, are becoming popular worldwide, including in India. This paper presents the first empirical evidence on outdoor gyms in India from a qualitative perspective. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews of 56 outdoor gym stakeholders—40 users, 10 non-users, 4 healthcare providers and 2 outdoor gym implementing municipality authorities were conducted in the National Capital Region of India. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed through the Framework Method. The qualitative findings present the perceived benefits, barriers/challenges to using and provide insights for further improving and scaling up outdoor gyms in India. Health enhancement in the form of improved general fitness, body weight control and diversification of physical exercise routines, social connectivity, easy accessibility, affordability, green outdoor surroundings, and a place of intrigue and attraction in respective parks were the major reported benefits of outdoor gyms. Low gym equipment to user ratio was one of the major challenges to gym use across the user group. Healthcare providers and non-users were majorly concerned about the potentially incorrect and unsupervised use of outdoor gym equipment. Major suggestions for improvement were increasing the number of equipment installed, regular equipment maintenance, and the presence of an on-site physical exercise trainer. Outdoor gymnasiums present as a viable option for promoting physical activity and should be scaled up systematically to improve the health of the populations across India and other similar nations.
Accountability of any health system does not ends with improving health. The vulnerability (to incur catastrophic health expenditure and coping mechanism) of this slum population was mostly pertaining to availability of acceptable healthcare services, accessing healthcare services and being forced to pay for it out-of-pocket. Determinant factors for vulnerability to incur catastrophic health expenditure and coping mechanism majorly included services availed. Determinants that affected the choice of coping mechanism were availing ANC/PNC services (OR = 3.8; P < 0.05); availed out-patients services for two or more times (OR = 2.6; P < 0.05); and availed in-patients services for one or more times (including deceased members in last one year) (OR = 10.2; P < 0.001). Similarly, households vulnerable to incur CHE were those which paid to avail in-patients services for one or more times (OR = 55.3; p < 0.001), childbirth services for one or more times (OR = 6.5; p < 0.05) Out-patient services (OR = 11.3; p < 0.001), and ANC/PNC services (OR = 6.7; p < 0.05. The household with more number of the households were two times more likely to incur CHE (OR = 2.5; p < .0001).
The entire world is facing the corona virus COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 which has become the global health crisis as well as unprecedented socio-economic crisis. Being a new form of virus, there is no proven vaccine for this. It has become the greatest challenge since World War 2. In cases of critical stage, when conventional mainstream medicine is at the forefront, it is necessary to look over its preventive aspect through alternative sciences and collaborate with other effective medical sciences. The modern science focuses on interventions based on disease causing agents and immunize against it. Ayurveda’s extensive knowledge based on preventive care includes interventions which enhance the body’s natural defense system for maintaining optimum health. Our objective of this literature review is to understand the role of ayurvedic herbal medicines to combat this viral infection with their role in enhancing immunity, role of various Dincharya procedures in prophylaxis against this virus and role of Yoga, Pranayama and meditation in improving the pulmonary functions and in making the immune system strong. Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2, Dincharya, Ayurveda, Pandemic, Immunity, Pranayama.
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