As India’s positive cases hovered around 2.4m, there are growing fears that the virus’s impact on rural communities could be devastating. Data from the National Family Health Survey-4 showed that only about 25% of rural Indians have access to public outpatient (OPD) healthcare.. There are also grave concerns for around 70% of India’s elderly population, who live in villages. Farmer Amar Jeet Singh, 47, from Navgava village in Lakhmipur Kheri district, developed a liver infection and struggled to get tested. Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, the former president of the AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association, said India’s ramped up testing was only happening in urban areas.

Source: The Guardian August 16, 2020 23:15 UTC