COVID 19 in the ECO Region: Impact, Status of Healthcare and ICT infrastructure, and Response by the Member States

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ECOSF has undertaken a study to explore and assess the status of healthcare and ICT infrastructure in the ECO Member Countries; and how Member States have responded during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID 19 has exposed the fragile limits of healthcare facilities and infrastructures around the world. This report assesses the healthcare capabilities of each ECO Member State against the Global Health Security Index (GHSI). The GHSI is a comprehensive assessment and benchmarking of health security and related capabilities across the 195 countries to address one of the world’s most omnipresent risks: infectious disease outbreaks that can lead to international epidemics and pandemics. A snapshot of ECO Member profiles is provided at the end of this report.

It is even more challenging when we think of resource-limited regions with poor sanitation and weak health systems, which is actually the case in some of the ECO Member Countries. The COVID-19 outbreak is creating significant additional pressure on an already overburdened health system in the Member Countries. The report also highlights the scientific and technological responses towards the research on vaccines and drug development by the Member States. In addition, the brief also highlights issues in address the gap in internet and broadband connectivity in the region.

[ Report ]