The present COVID-19 wave or tsunami as the Delhi HC referred, unravels the deep fractures in our healthcare system.
It is not as if the govt. did not do anything in the recent past. In fact policies like Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLIS), digitisation of healthcare services are steps in right direction. The wave highlights it is just not enough.
What is enough? No one exactly knows, since both union and state/UT governments have been on their toes to curb the pandemic. Yet the pandemic seems to be a step ahead than our political leaders. While a lot may have been done, a major lot (an urgent, short term lot) remains to be worked upon.
However, the current priority of the authorities seem to be off the mark as per the statement that governments must do all to prevent lockdowns and lockdowns should be the last resort”.
With or without lockdown priority should be to stem out the deep roots of COVID-19 from Indian soil. Economy is only if the people are! Government of India (GoI) must drain all its energy to minimize the already grim COVID-19 situation. As the virus may not by itself be lethal. However, the skyrocketing cases of COVID-19 in less time and space has made the disease lethal.
The golden bird called India today is at a brink of losing its glory – its people, its lifeline. A nation without its people, is nothing but just a barren territory.
While as a country we aim to fly high, to solve the mysteries of space. Let us halt our flight in various endeavors unless we have all our countrymen aboard for these journeys. After all no achievement, would be worthwhile, if we would have no countrymen to cheer for it.
The state of nature is grim in India today, as the fellow citizens continue to lose their near and dear ones due to COVID-19 or to be precise to lack of timely treatment, lack of oxygen supply, lack of information, misinformation.
It is high time both union and state/UT government share the real situation of where India stands today in its fight against the COVID-19.
Withholding crucial information or partly disclosing information or misconstruing the actual figures with the fear of public backlash or with an aim to avoid panic among the public is only going to cause desperation.
On the other hand, if the govt. makes citizens, members of its emergency meetings on COVID-19 (by complete disclosure), it will, if not anything else, create a sense of faith among the public regarding government efforts.
While everyone is emphasising rightly on medical equipment, beds and other medical infrastructure that are currently in shortage. Until that becomes available, let our government provide us and let us provide to our fellow countrymen with something that is readily available in abundance with us.
Faith – Not a scientific, not a medical term, but an expression, a sense of belief, yes – faith! It is something the authorities can provide the citizenry at the earliest.
Faith that they are sharing true information, faith that they are working on increasing the supply of oxygen, faith that beds will soon increase or new facilities are being created. It is not mere symbolic, here. Rather it can act as Anxit pill for all the anxious members of our public.
In other words, faith can work as a lease provided by the Government at no cost and at the earliest, until more conclusive work is done.
Indians can provide a free of cost thing to our fellow Indians i.e., “help”. Do not hesitate in helping people in whatever way possible in the time right now. Your minor help may be a life saver for someone.
In the meantime, all projects that can wait, that may even bring accolades to India, but that can be postponed, must be done so. All energies must be diverted for a holistic effort to curb the situation. Private individuals, companies, members of the civil society, Govt. bodies must all come together, must unite and duties to all must be delegated by GoI.
With so many Indian lives already lost due to the earlier and present pandemic wave, we cannot definitely arise as winners in this race, yet to complete the race (by stemming out the roots of pandemic from India) would in itself be a tribute to our Indian men, women and children who lost their lives in this tragedy called COVID-19.
