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Book review: Till We Win ­ India's Fight against the COVID­19 Pandemic Amir Maroof Khan, MD

Professor, Community Medicine, UCMS, Delhi

Corresponding Author: Dr Amir Maroof Khan Department of Community Medicine University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India email: khanamirmaroof at yahoo dot com Received: 17­FEB­2021 Accepted: 18­FEB­2021 Published: 18­FEB­2021

Authors: Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, Dr Gagandeep Kang, Dr Randeep Guleria

Publisher: Penguin Random House, India

1st Edition 10 December 2020 Paperback: 352 pages ISBN­13 : 978­0143451808

Price: INR 299.00

This is a narrative of hope, with a scientific answer. I realized that ‘Till We Win’ is a and humane perspective in pandemic unique book ­ it offers hope to humanity, times... puts science first, and focuses on the opportunities to improve health systems in There are many reports on COVID­19 being this crisis. And nothing is more welcome published every day, so when I picked up than hope and opportunities in these this book, I told myself to make sure to look troubled times. out for what is different about this one. Within the first few pages itself, I got my There are four sections to the book. The

Cite this article as: Khan AM. Book review: Till We Win ­ India's Fight against the COVID­19 Pandemic. RHiME. 2021;8:15­7. www.rhime.in 15 first section demystifies and brings clarity to for an enriching read especially for all those the pandemic situation. The description of working in the field of health. The question­ the microorganisms and the COVID­19 answer technique used in this section and pathogenesis in a simple and interesting in the next section is appreciated. It makes manner helps the reader to fathom the true the reading interesting and the nature of the disease. It sets the foundation understanding more efficient. for the following sections which build further understanding of COVID­19 and its control. The last section sets the tone for the future. Even as this section mentions that It highlights the learning lessons for health pandemics are inevitable, it also gives the systems as well as for individuals. It message that we must be ready to fight celebrates crisis by holding up the back by planning and developing strategies achievements in this pandemic­related to do so. It removes the room for any struggle. The various suggestions such as complacency or wishful thinking. concept of neighbourhood clinics, population norms for health centres, health The second section provides a powerful financing, data­based management, and narrative on the pandemic response in the others give ready­made tips for public Indian context at various levels. The health advocates and policy makers. It can national level strategies, the state level benefit all aspects of healthcare at the responses and experiences, and the brave community level. fight put up by the healthcare workers at their individual levels gives a Let me next mention what the book is not comprehensive overview of the about. It is not a textbook of clinical expectations and delivery at each level. My medicine which it never intended to be, and favourite chapter in this section is ‘The so it does not provide clinical guidelines undaunted human spirit’ which gives a about managing COVID­19 patients in human face to the struggle of the inpatient department or intensive care unit healthcare workers in managing this global settings. crisis. Chapters such as ‘Contribution from every walk of life’ move one and inspire This book is about the public health each one of us to hold fort in such critical response to the pandemic through the and unprecedented times. collaborative and coordinated efforts of health systems, governments, and local The third section offers some certainty in communities. It focuses on the COVID­19 these uncertain times. There was no known prevention and control strategies. It treatment of COVID­19 when the pandemic identifies the strengths and challenges of hit the world. There was a pressure on the our country’s health systems. I recommend scientific community to deliver solutions. translating this book into other languages The scientific community strongly as it has the potential to penetrate and responded by conducting and disseminating guide local health systems in outbreak research. The research from all domains of preparedness. health science such as epidemiology, molecular biology, clinical medicine, health This book is easy to read, it busts myths systems research, and vaccinology moved surrounding COVID­19, it identifies the at breakneck speed to evolve preventive strengths and challenges of our country’s measures to reduce transmission rates and health systems, and it proposes learning to reduce morbidity and mortality amongst lessons from this whole experience. But the COVID­19 affected. The therapies above all, it is a book on hope in science which emerged, the rationale behind it, and and in humanity. then the progress stories of vaccines make www.rhime.in 16 I would recommend this book for all those authors deserve appreciation for not only who have the potential to influence health contributing to the book, but also for their behaviour and health policy. More efforts in combating COVID­19 in our specifically for teachers, journalists, public country. health activists, medical students, faculty members of medical and health institutions, As I put this book down, I know that I will be political leaders, and members of referring to it again. community­based health organizations. The

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