Empowering primary healthcare institutions against COVID-19 pandemic: A health system-based approach.

Primary health care institutions (PHCIs) are an essential foundation for the national response to COVID-19 disease in India. With the soaring number of confirmed cases, the health system is currently under unprecedented stress. In this scenario, there is a pressing need for empowering PHCIs in COVID-19 preparedness and response. The World Health Organization's (WHO) "Health system building block" approach is a classic model, which can work as a road map for the national health system in the process of empowering PHCIs against COVID-19 as well as other upcoming global and regional public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]