COVID pandemic shocked the world and rendered human beings, communities, and governments helpless.
The helplessness persists because we have not found a vaccine yet, and we don’t know of any cure that is substantiated by scientific research and evidence. The scientific research community, worldwide, has also been trying hard to find a solution. It is good to be optimistic and have faith in the collective positive thinking of people across borders. That, combined with accepting a new way of life should help us overcome the challenges of the pandemic.
Big lessons learned have been the inadequacies in health care systems, equipment, hospitals, etc. There is so much of this in the media.
The real heroes are the frontline healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians and others. They have all selflessly stretched to their limits to care for the communities and individuals.
Humankind should and will overcome the current crisis. We probably abused nature too much for too long, and this is a reminder to become more responsible and disciplined in our lives.
While the resources for healthcare systems, better and more equipment, and innovative design of such equipment are happening, I would think it is also important to focus on education and training for the frontline health workers and medical professionals. I think the world has realised that we need more healthcare professionals to deal with such pandemics.
It is now up to the education & training providers and leaders to design new programs and deliver them on a large scale across the world to create a larger talent pool in the health education and medical sectors. Training for individuals and communities for a better health profile, well being, personal hygiene, and community hygiene will be a necessity.
This should cut across all geographies, religions, social dispositions and economic disparities. Every living being deserves this! This needs scale, and education technology and the use of technology in training can be one of the key enablers.
It has to start with the governments and policymakers putting aside their differences, and work closely with experts and communities to fix the gaps that have surfaced. Education systems and public health training will be key factors. Every individual can make a difference in overcoming such challenges.
