By Toki Blah
Meghalaya and all of us who live in it have a major war in our hands. Let there be no doubt on the veracity of this statement. We are involved in a fight to the death with an enemy that continues to remain elusive, unseen and unforgiving. The sad fact remains that we are fighting with both our hands literally tied behind our backs. The main weapon (vaccine) against the Corona virus has yet to be developed and time is not on our side. If offense is the best defence, as the saying goes, we have yet to come up with effective offensive weapons to defeat the enemy. The best we can do at present is to resort to whatever defensive tactics we possess. So far these defence tactics are severely restricted only to social-distancing and stay at home strategies. Despite such precautions, casualties occur and Meghalaya has already suffered its first fatality with the sad demise of Dr John Sailo , the Director and owner of Bethany Hospital of Shillong. It is a loss that a small underdeveloped state like Meghalaya can ill afford to suffer and we must try our level best to minimise our losses in the days to come. A practical and workable plan of action is called for.
If we accept that we are at war then, first of all we must install a Unified and dedicated command structure. The Government is best equipped to take charge of this command. A state level Covid 19 war cabinet should be formed. The job of this body is to formulate policy on how the state of Meghalaya should proceed to tackle the Covid 19 pandemic. Critical areas for intervention; by whom, when and how should be identified. Broad outline protocols for such interventions spelled out. This will prevent being caught by nasty surprises the disease is capable of springing on us. The Covid 19 war cabinet should not be humungous but concise and compact in composition. It should comprise the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Health, Food and Civil Supplies, Home and Agriculture ministers aided by their top advisers. Health specialists such as virologists and epidemiologists, experienced in containment of infectious diseases be also inducted. It is also recommended that the leader of the Opposition also be made a member of this cabinet. In the case of Meghalaya he also happens to be a medical practitioner and can add value to the deliberations and decisions taken. Its mandate is the overall supervision of the war effort; formulation of policy in taking the fight forward; to take quick sharp decisions when needed and also to try and anticipate future action when and where required.
In anticipating interventions the war may make us resort to, we need to come up with protocols and Standard Operating Procedures ( SOPs) on how to deal with such eventualities when they do occur. We have to anticipate and accept that we may have to deal with a sudden massive spurt of Covid infection cases. How do we quarantine, lodge and board this huge number of patients? It will be a massive problem but it has to be dealt with. Then comes the question of probable fatalities and deaths. The infectious nature of the disease will prevent and dissuade family members of the dead to resort to usual and customary methods in performing the last rites for such fatalities. Who then takes care of the dead? The War cabinet will have to make a policy decision on such vexing questions. The Shillong Municipal Board, the Police and the Church have done yeoman service in enabling the last rites for Dr Sailo to be conducted. God forbid, but if and when more fatalities occur in the future in Shillong, when victims of different faiths are involved, Government will have to come up with pre-determined protocols on how deal with the issue. Law and order issues will need to be addressed while at the same time safety precautions and gear for the officials involved will have to be arranged and provided. The logistics involved are enormous and the time to simply muddle along has gone. Chaos and confusion has to be avoided at all costs. The call for statesmanship has never been more poignant. Meghalaya demands it.
Then we also have to contemplate and anticipate the spread of the disease to our rural areas. I am not trying to be melancholic or a scare monger. Just trying to be realistic! What if cluster Covid 19 patients were to come up in any rural habitation? What SOPs should operate then? What if deaths were to follow in a rural village? Who will take care of the dead and their last rites, whether it be cremation or burial? These are questions the War Cabinet will have to discuss and come up with practical solutions. There is no doubt that the role of the Dorbars, the District Administration and the police will be critical in arriving at a practical answer to the above. All three institutions will need to be empowered and trained to deal with such eventualities. We might still have a very narrow window of opportunity to finalise our protocols and SOPs in this respect. There is little time left. We have to do it ASAP. God give us the wisdom to use the time left wisely.
If this is a war then the battles are being fought in battlefields called districts. Districts are the theatres of war in this fight against Covid 19. Troops and soldiers in the district fall under the command of the Deputy Commissioner or the DC who supervises , monitors, direct and manages the resources at his/her disposal. These resources range from human, to financial to material. It is a 24×7 multi-tasking undertaking calling for intense management skills and concentration with little or no room for silly sentimental mistakes or slip-ups. During normal times the DC is expected to manage the day to day administration as well as maintenance of law and order. The present crisis has added exponentially to the duties of the DC. The district administration is now expected to also cater to the needs of Covid health care workers, Covid patients, logistics for those under isolation or quarantine, test tracking of potential Covid patients, ensuring that people observe social distancing and stay home requirements, ensuring the borders of the state remain sealed, dealing with Covid related incidents that might affect social harmony and well-being plus a host of other related issues. It is a daunting task with life and death issues at stake. Under such circumstances the sooner we can come up with strategies to lighten the work load of the DC’s office, the better it is for everyone
One of the most taxing and time consuming responsibility that the district administration has taken upon itself is the care and attention that needs to be given to persons who require isolation and quarantine. Persons requiring quarantine may range from those suspected of having contracted the disease to doctors and health care workers treating Covid 19 patients since the normal return of such professionals to their own homes after a day’s work at the hospital might not be practically advisable. The lodging and boarding of such persons assumes critical importance in view of the shortage of infrastructure and experienced personnel at the DC’s disposal. God forbid but if the number of persons requiring the above mentioned attention begins to run into their hundreds then there is fear the system might just collapse. I believe that at this juncture the Tourism Department of the Govt, that specialises in hospitality initiatives would be the best to take over this responsibility. Tourism has the contacts, data and the ability to ensure the best form of lodging and boarding for those requiring it. The DC can remain the supervising and monitoring agency. This will greatly lighten the district administration of a job that it is ill equipped to handle. Shared responsibilities by Govt departments is the order of the day. I hope the Govt shares this view.
Obviously the lockdown and the curfew can’t go on forever. The day is not far off when Govt will have to start the process of lockdown relaxation. Yet even if lockdown is relaxed the need for social distancing will continue to remain. This is a reality for a society that actively practices intense social interaction in almost every social occasion, be it births, illness, death or religious instances. Regulation under such circumstances is needed. Dorbars and Rangbah Shnongs have already given yeoman service as far as ensuring distribution of food and essential commodities is concerned. Under the circumstances the role of the Dorbars as enforcers of social restrictions becomes critical. As such important Official announcements and proclamations can also be got done through the office of the Rangbah Shnong. Almost all durbars have established a PA system within their respective jurisdictions which the DIPR should exploit to the maximum. The Dorbar Shnongs and the Rangbah Shnongs have a crucial role to play in this war against Covid 19 and their best asset is the confidence and trust they enjoy among the local population. Govt must take full advantage of this asset and bring in the Dorbars as active empowered partners to help the state successfully contain the disease. Working together is our best chance of survival. The time has come for the governing institutions of Meghalaya, both constitutional and traditional to learn to work together for the benefit and welfare of the people they profess to serve.