Intelligent use of analytics can help government solve oxygen crisis during Covid-19

Days after the oxygen crisis led to several fatalities across the country, the Supreme Court of India constituted a 12-member national task force for the allotment of medical oxygen to the states and Union territories. The decision reflected the apex body's lack of confidence in government's approach and planning of medical oxygen distribution. Thousands of lives have already been lost during the second wave of Covid-19.

The impact of rising Covid-19 cases on India's overburdened healthcare system has been significant. While unavailability of medicine, hospital beds and ambulances has led to a precarious situation, oxygen shortage has created havoc, with many hospitals sending SOS to the state governments.

One of the reasons why the second wave is proving to be so damaging is that the authorities failed to foresee the virus' potency and ability to spread like wild fire. There was hardly any readiness.

Predictive analytics could have been instrumental in helping healthcare organizations analyze resource shortage and other aspects ahead of time. Critical infrastructure companies, like ACSG Corp, are capable of bridging the gap by predicting, monitoring and analysing the data trends.

The Delhi-headquartered company has developed a potential defense system based on the utilization of data analytics. Data generated since the beginning of the pandemic has the potential to change the dynamics, if used intelligently.

The available data with Government Hospitals, through official applications like Aarogya Setu, can help in resource allocation on the basis of various parameters related to the past developments and arising needs.

Many companies are analyzing real-time data to bridge the gap in the healthcare sector. ChironX and SigTuple employ deep learning algorithms, among other technologies, to build smart software and screening solutions, making healthcare services accurate and accessible.

Similarly, ACSG Corp. has been utilizing predictive analytics, besides analyzing real-time data, to ensure there are as little hiccups as possible in resource allocation in the health sector.

"Integration of technology, such as data analytics is important to help the healthcare providers and government at large to manage this crisis situation in an efficient way," says Pankaj Kumar, President of ACSG Corp.

"The need of the hour is to analyse the demand, determine the usage and regulate the supply of medical equipment, especially the oxygen, which can only be done through observation of data trends with the help of analytics," he adds.

The importance of anticipating future events during a healthcare crisis should become India's supreme concern. Organizations are increasingly turning to analytics to better understand and evaluate risks. Analytics study patterns and predict challenges in the future, an ability that can support any government in difficult times.

For eg, an analysis of the relationship between the first and second wave of Covid-19 would have clearly indicated the need for more medical supplies, including the medical oxygen, beforehand.

It is crucial to integrate the technology with the healthcare system to avert risk to life in times ahead.

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