3rd month is about to end since the Corona virus took over as the most relevant thing in this planet. The world is going through its most significant episode that has taken over everything else in this century. And, it's the judgement time for all of us for what we have done so far.
We have prioritized our needs. We are globalized now. And we are running a world that only cares about 'business'...like the Michael Angelo meme. It is, and always was about business. We were making money, making profit. We were selling almost everything we had. Everything was on sale because sale gives money, and it is 'business'. We have chosen our leaders, we have stood by the decisions taken by the leaders chosen by us in a majoritarian way. Some of us has always been protesting, but every protest seemed unimportant, as they didn't make money at that time. We didn't took the lesson from the past, neither think of our future. Our decisions were taken based on the moments, and based on the fact that makes most of the profit for that point of time. All of those, who were protesting, cried in vain. And see, we have reached a point where we have no clue how to deal with it. And the policy makers? No cry will help for now. People are dying, dying on the streets. We are rather helpless, and don't know what to do. "Lockdown will kill more people than the Corona virus." Wow!
I am writing this post from somewhere below the Himalayas, in West Bengal, India. Our Government has declared a lockdown of 3 weeks, without much delay. It's very difficult to make people understand why such strong measures have been taken at a time when there is nothing visible around. "Cha khete esechi, khaoa hoye geche, ferot jachchi!" (Came here to take tea, have taken tea and now getting back home!) "Ektu cha khabo na? Cha khabo na amra?" (Won't we have some tea?) These middle aged to elderly people don't know what they are going to see. Dead people will be lying on the streets, in the houses, at the hospital. There will be no one to take them for cremation. Rest will die of starvation. They don't know. All they know is they must take the tea. Tea is the most valuable thing for that moment.
It has passed almost 72 years since our independence. We could not build our healthcare system. We could not build proper education system. We invested the least for hospitals and colleges. We don't even have the basic healthcare system to carry the load of day to day patients. Hospitals don't have enough bed, patients lying on the floor, referral centers being kilometers away, and the private hospitals being so costly that 90% of our population cannot afford them. As the people suffered, the healthcare workers got assaulted for the shortcomings of our policy makers most of the cases. Corruption is everywhere, and killing everyone silently, but the people of our country didn't even realize. Why would they? They were busy in spreading hatred and fighting each other under the cleverly guided influence of the political leaders whom we, the people of India have chosen. It's democracy after all. Our economy has been declining progressively over past few years. Our government has spent the money stored in our reserve bank for the crisis situations were used for corporate bailout. We have been selling all our public sector unit properties with evil plans. And those money were being recovered from the common people with increased taxes on fuels and other means. Money we gave our government for taxes were spent for statues and advertising and essential sectors like health and education were overlooked, as always.
In usual days our hospitals cannot deal with the crowd of stroke, heart attack or pneumonia patients are going the deal with a pandemic, Covid. Are we prepared? Frankly speaking, no. Government hospitals in India are basically run by junior doctors. They are working like dogs day and night. One who has a doctor friend or family member will know the poor quality of life a young doctor lives. These young doctors are not being supplied with basic safety kit. Forget PPE (personal protective kit), they don't even have basic surgical mask or sanitizers. They are being exposed to suspected cases day in and day out. For the nurses, other staffs associated, scenario is the same. If one third of these young doctors get infected or being sent for isolation, God will be the only treating authority. Government has announced 50 lakh of health insurance for healthcare workers. But if there are no bed/ventilator, or treating doctor available in the country, what is the use of that insurance? Till now, by the end of 1st week of lockdown, we don't have enough protective gears to save the first line of defense, that is the healthcare workers. And we don't have enough test kits available. And there is no promising news from the government for those measures as well. Are we sitting on a time bomb? Answer will come only in the next seven days. Stay at home. And live.
We have prioritized our needs. We are globalized now. And we are running a world that only cares about 'business'...like the Michael Angelo meme. It is, and always was about business. We were making money, making profit. We were selling almost everything we had. Everything was on sale because sale gives money, and it is 'business'. We have chosen our leaders, we have stood by the decisions taken by the leaders chosen by us in a majoritarian way. Some of us has always been protesting, but every protest seemed unimportant, as they didn't make money at that time. We didn't took the lesson from the past, neither think of our future. Our decisions were taken based on the moments, and based on the fact that makes most of the profit for that point of time. All of those, who were protesting, cried in vain. And see, we have reached a point where we have no clue how to deal with it. And the policy makers? No cry will help for now. People are dying, dying on the streets. We are rather helpless, and don't know what to do. "Lockdown will kill more people than the Corona virus." Wow!
I am writing this post from somewhere below the Himalayas, in West Bengal, India. Our Government has declared a lockdown of 3 weeks, without much delay. It's very difficult to make people understand why such strong measures have been taken at a time when there is nothing visible around. "Cha khete esechi, khaoa hoye geche, ferot jachchi!" (Came here to take tea, have taken tea and now getting back home!) "Ektu cha khabo na? Cha khabo na amra?" (Won't we have some tea?) These middle aged to elderly people don't know what they are going to see. Dead people will be lying on the streets, in the houses, at the hospital. There will be no one to take them for cremation. Rest will die of starvation. They don't know. All they know is they must take the tea. Tea is the most valuable thing for that moment.
It has passed almost 72 years since our independence. We could not build our healthcare system. We could not build proper education system. We invested the least for hospitals and colleges. We don't even have the basic healthcare system to carry the load of day to day patients. Hospitals don't have enough bed, patients lying on the floor, referral centers being kilometers away, and the private hospitals being so costly that 90% of our population cannot afford them. As the people suffered, the healthcare workers got assaulted for the shortcomings of our policy makers most of the cases. Corruption is everywhere, and killing everyone silently, but the people of our country didn't even realize. Why would they? They were busy in spreading hatred and fighting each other under the cleverly guided influence of the political leaders whom we, the people of India have chosen. It's democracy after all. Our economy has been declining progressively over past few years. Our government has spent the money stored in our reserve bank for the crisis situations were used for corporate bailout. We have been selling all our public sector unit properties with evil plans. And those money were being recovered from the common people with increased taxes on fuels and other means. Money we gave our government for taxes were spent for statues and advertising and essential sectors like health and education were overlooked, as always.
In usual days our hospitals cannot deal with the crowd of stroke, heart attack or pneumonia patients are going the deal with a pandemic, Covid. Are we prepared? Frankly speaking, no. Government hospitals in India are basically run by junior doctors. They are working like dogs day and night. One who has a doctor friend or family member will know the poor quality of life a young doctor lives. These young doctors are not being supplied with basic safety kit. Forget PPE (personal protective kit), they don't even have basic surgical mask or sanitizers. They are being exposed to suspected cases day in and day out. For the nurses, other staffs associated, scenario is the same. If one third of these young doctors get infected or being sent for isolation, God will be the only treating authority. Government has announced 50 lakh of health insurance for healthcare workers. But if there are no bed/ventilator, or treating doctor available in the country, what is the use of that insurance? Till now, by the end of 1st week of lockdown, we don't have enough protective gears to save the first line of defense, that is the healthcare workers. And we don't have enough test kits available. And there is no promising news from the government for those measures as well. Are we sitting on a time bomb? Answer will come only in the next seven days. Stay at home. And live.
