Indian tragedy of other in adequacies

Dr Sanjay Kumar Bhasin
On 31st Dec 2020, India reported 21,821 new COVID-19 cases and only 299 deaths and it appeared that Covid-19 has started receding in India.
Because of varied reasons including general attitude and in spite of healthcare experts warning globally and for India too, the country entered exponential second wave in the early April 2021, ironically, without proper policy to tackle the same. Over confidence of phasing out Corona and Vaccine gifted to other countries as a good will gesture created havoc in the second wave.
In spite of Policy Paralysis, the medical crises is being battled by healthcare workers who are overstretched and overburdened in view of shortage of men, machinery and material. They are under stress, under dictate of non professionals and under threat from the commoners and the media but still working to save their already blemished image of Demi-Gods. Without stretching much argument on this aspect, I quickly come to the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic and that is the Indian Tragedy of other Inadequacies.
Socio-behavioural& religious Inadequacy:
If news portals, commentators, newspapers and eye witnesses are to be believed, people spotted almost 2000 dead bodies in the most populous state of UP; in and around holy Ganges, leave aside that could not catch the eyes of people. Jamuna also witnessed few such scenes. These dead bodies were probably abandoned by the poor with a hope that mother Ganges may give solace to these dead ones who were socially and economically neglected lot during their life time. It was alleged that the local civil administration instead of arranging respectful mass cremation, preferred to just cover the dead bodies with heap of sand and mud and mother Ganges water flow made these dead bodies naked and source of attack by the stray dogs etc. This act is not just un-Hindu but unhygienic, unhealthy and unscientific in addition to being inhuman. This socio-behavioural& religious Inadequacy was seen in another form in Kangra district of HP where a son was seen carrying dead body of COVID positive mother on his shoulders alone for burial. Somewhere else in my great nation an old man was seen carrying dead body of his wife in a cart and in yet another case a man carried dead body of his daughter by tying it on bicycle. In other situations, people have refused to give entry to the attendants of COVID deceased in their localities. Many such examples sum up the Indian Tragedy of Socio-behavioural& religious Inadequacies.
Crime During Pandemic:
Ambulances demanding Rs. 50000/= to carry a COVID positive patient form Noida to Gurugram, Injection Remedesvier costing 70000rs a vial, a hospital bed for 1.2 lac, as well as Oxygen concentrators BiPAP machines and simple Oxygen cylinders sold at exorbitant rates shall be viewed as crimes of highest order against the battling society. In fact, every essential commodity connected to COVID-19 has become prone to black marketing, with hoarders and profiteers making a way amid the pandemic. There are evidences of duplicate Remedesvier floating in the river, looting cash/jewelry from dead bodies and fleecing people at cremation grounds. The cybercrime reached its zenith when ittoo did not spare the already stressful nation by looting/siphoning out bank accounts of the people using their credit card details on the plea of arranging bed in the hospital, plasma, concentrators and drugs.
Superstitions Vs Scientific Beliefs:
India was forced to prevent Corona by virtue of Tali-Thali-Divas, ringing bells and by chanting mantra of “Go Corona Go”, resulting into more than one lac deaths and one crore people suffering from COVID-19 during first wave. One self designated Baba having patronage of government machinery manufactured some drug without requisite approvals from regulator bodies including WHO to control and prevent corona infection, his earlier claims of curing cancer, kidney failures and other disease proved to be false few years back. WHO later clarified that it has not given a nod to any traditional medicine for the treatment of COVID-19, amid claims made by Patanjali Yogpethabout drug’s clearance by the global health body. During second wave the superstitious narratives took new turn and people advocated cow urine and cow dung for corono management, few of the MLAs of ruling dispensation negated existence of COVID-19 disease and ultimately few of them died of same COVID-19 due to lack of oxygen and non availability of better hospital to them. Few days back Chief of biggest religion based social organization announced that ,whosoever dies of corona shall directly go to heaven. He never talked of what will happen to the abandoned COVID-19 dead bodies on the banks of holy Ganges where dogs were playing with them. India has become laughing stock for all these unscientific narratives.
Psychological & Financial Trauma:
Extended COVID-19 pandemic has infused depression, frustration, anxiety, fear amongst all due to the reasons of losing dear ones, financial crunches, loss of jobs and so on. Closure of schools and social insecurities has led to rise in child abuse during this time. In view of inadequacy of infrastructure, machinery and manpower etc the HCWs are overstretched and feeling burnt out with tremendous psychological pressure. 10 crore workers lost jobs till Dec 2020 due to pandemic, shutting of micro and small scale industry etc have added socio-financial pressures on this work force leading to massive psychological trauma to individuals and families as well. Steep cost of hospitalization and associated medical expenses has pushed and shall further push more families to the lower ladder of economic status. 47% of women and 9% of men lost their job to COVID-19 situation during first phase. 1/3rd of youth below 24 years of age have lost their livelihoods without hope of regaining it, thereby; widened income inequality taking it to obnoxious levels. Instead of lifting 50lac people out of poverty as per previous norms, India in 2020 added another 23 crores to already poor population in the country that is likely to rise further after second wave pandemic and if third wave also comes, our dream of Vish Guru and Self Reliant India shall end.
Conclusion:
Yesteryears armed hostilities by Pakistan & China against India had witnessed political class of the country displaying unprecedented unity to keep India as a strong Nation needs to be displayed in present times as well. The opposition should behave sincerely and the ruling class should shun autocratic and arrogant style of functioning and take everybody on board. The National Executive Council, the Apex decision making body under National disaster Management Act 2020 thatcould not meet between Nov 2020 to March 2021 to strategize the things, must meet regularly and take help of medical experts in averting present crisis and dealing possible 3rd wave of COVID-19. Every endeavor shall be put not only to de stretch the ailing Healthcare infrastructures by strengthening it as per WHO norms so that both non Communicable and Communicable disease can be tackled well in future including the COVID-19 like pandemics. India must strengthen the society by following scientific narratives and work on the principles of Liberty! Equality!!Fraternity!!! to take care of Indian Tragedy of inadequacies well in the larger interest of humanity.
(The author is Senior Surgeon, GMC Jammu.)
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