Non Government Organizations (NGO)-The gap fillers during COVID-19 lockdown in Assam, India

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic caused due to SARS-CoV2 has disrupted the spectrum of health care. The wide arrays of supportive and palliative care needed for patients with ailments were grossly neglected, due to the diversion of resources and healthcare professionals in COVID management. This deficiency was further exaggerated by extended lockdown and closure of outdoor patient care services resulting in unprecedented crisis in disease management. Further, COVID-19 has been associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality arising from associated risk factors in geriatric subjects and those with other high risk co-morbidities like hypertension, COPD, diabetes and cancer. North East Indian states and the adjoining regions seem to have suffered substantially during the COVID-19 crisis due to their pre-existing vulnerabilities and under developed health care infrastructure and logistics. This deficiency, however, seems to have been fulfilled substantially by the participation of NGO (Non-Government Organizations) and other volunteer services who has actively participated to provide basic healthcare and other life support to cancer patients in this crisis.