Take evidence-based decisions in situation like Covid pandemic

A panel of public-health experts has urged the policymakers to adopt evidence-based decisions for ensuring better impact of initiatives on the pandemic management.
A combination of mandatory mask wearing, access to healthcare facilities for critically ill people and mass vaccination would be the best approach to preventing further spread of coronavirus, they said.
The experts put forward the suggestions at a virtual dialogue on "Prioritising Covid-19 Prevention and Recovery", organised by the Financial Express (FE) on Wednesday.
"If the policymakers take evidence-based decisions in a situation like pandemic, its impact could be much better. Even in the case of failure, they still have political leverage," Vice Chairperson of Public Health Foundation, Bangladesh, Dr Taufique Joarder told the event.
He called for engaging people in the pandemic management to better assess their needs and support them through projects or programmes.
"An adaptive leadership at different stages of decision-making can appreciate evidence-based decision," he said, referring to research findings that are useful in dealing with the Covid-19 situation.
Planning Minister MA Mannan addressed the event as the chief guest while Professor of Economics at the Yale University Dr Mushfiq Mobarak presented the keynote paper titled "Normalizing Mask-Wearing: Scaling Up an Effective Approach."
Apart from Dr Joarder, Professor of Department of Economics of University of Dhaka Dr Rumana Huque also spoke as the panellist.
The Editor of the Financial Express Shah Husain Imam gave the welcome address at the programme, moderated by Associate Professor of the Institute of Health Economics under University of Dhaka Dr Shafiun N Shimul.
Dr Joarder continued saying that while taking policy decisions about a problem, the authorities here (Bangladesh) follow the solutions used in the western countries. They ignore the socio-cultural, economic and geographical impact of such imported policies, he added.
He said that the economically advanced countries can afford measures like lockdown while it hasn't been an effective tool against the virus in the developing world.
He also said that the selective lockdown would be a better idea than the countrywide lockdowns as that initiative has minimal impact on coronavirus transmission.
In his presentation, Dr Mobarak recommended adopting NORM (no-cost, offering information, reinforcement, modelling) intervention in the country to prevent the virus transmission.
Until the majority of people get vaccinated, mask wearing can be the best defence against the virus and its new variants, he said, adding: "giving free masks through reaching door to door would help people realise the importance of mask wearing in reducing the chance of getting infected."
In this regard, he said, community engagement is a must to make the mask wearing a social norm.
Dr Mobarak also suggested that the government of Bangladesh should take a what he called 'MTV (mask, treatment and vaccination) approach' to fight against the coronavirus.
He elaborated that it has been proven around the world that wearing a mask properly is the first armour against the virus.
"So, awareness among the masses, regardless of urban and rural areas, is a must," he said, making a presentation on "Normalising Mask-Wearing: Scaling Up an Effective Approach."
Dr Mobarak emphasised the need for ensuring medical treatment for critically ill patients in cities and villages, and informing people properly about homecare and time for hospitalisation.
He pointed out that though the mass inoculation drive was facing setbacks due to supply shortage, the authorities should keep trying to collect vaccines from different sources as early as possible.
Dr Shimul mentioned that measures like lockdowns did not work in the Bangladesh context. High positivity rate in coronavirus tests was recorded in the middle of lockdown, he argued.
"We expected that the positivity rate may remain low if the lockdown is properly imposed, but that didn't happen," he added.
He suggested that distribution of free masks among people would encourage them to wear it and in that case, the commoners might consider the matter important.
Planning Minister MA Mannan said the government always welcomes good suggestions from researchers and academics, but it is not always easy to implement them at the field level due to the complex administrative system.
He mentioned that there was a pressure on the government to impose a lockdown during the early days of the pandemic.
"Considering the outcome of the countrywide lockdown in the previous months, I think, we wouldn't be able to continue with that idea (lockdown)," he said.
"There is a negative cultural effect of lockdown and it is not working for us," he said, adding: "the government has been trying to keep a balance between life and livelihoods."
He also said that the government did not create obstacles to the sectors that are considered the lifeline of the economy while wage labourers were also allowed to move in search of their work.
Another panellist, Dr Huque mentioned that the budget is not the problem anymore for the health sector. "It's the lack of skill and capacity that holds back overall development of the sector."
She said that there is also no record of institutional memories in the ministry due to frequent transfers and appointment of officials from a background which is remotely related to health science.
In his welcome note, the FE Editor thanked the participants of the webinar and mentioned that the Financial Express has been working relentlessly to uphold its long practised values throughout the pandemic.
He talked about the economic impact of lockdown on people and its correlation with the high rate of transmission.
Besides terming prevention as the only way to come out of the pandemic, he hoped that mask wearing would become a social norm in the country.

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