Editor,
Amidst the surging cases of COVID-19 in the state and especially in East Khasi Hills District, it is absurd to see the protocol in place and the levels of transparency of the concerned authorities, as far as testing process is concerned. It is observed that there is no uniformity in the way test results/reports are being disbursed among those testing positive and those testing negative for COVID-19.
I write this from a personal concern after hearing complaints from those testing negative that they are being sent digital reports to their respective mobile numbers or are handed a physical copy of their reports while those testing positive, are being denied their reports and are just being informed about them being positive for COVID-19, through ashas and health workers of their respective areas. And then when they stated upfront that they need their reports to validate the same and for their own personal satisfaction as well, the Health Department responded saying they are in no position to give them the reports. This after citing a baseless argument that it’s a rule for them not give reports and that reports can only be disbursed once the quarantine/isolation period gets over.
As much as I respect the health workers for their efforts throughout this pandemic, I also need to raise these questions: Why are those testing positive denied their reports? Will the concerned authorities actually state to the public the rationale behind this or any other so called ‘confidential/privacy policies’ in place? Also, don’t those testing positive have equal rights and privileges to view their reports as those that tested negative? Aren’t the reports of those testing Covid positive more crucial than those testing negative? How will those ‘testing positive’ be able to satisfy themselves about being Covid positive without seeing their reports?
So will the concerned authorities substantiate their justification in not providing the Covid positive reports to those that test positive? After all, “Seeing is Believing.” Or will the health authorities continue to ignore this crucial part of the protocol which involves a large part of the common masses. Also, why would one who tests negative after the isolation period is over, crucially need a negative stated report when at the start he/she was not able to validate the authenticity of the report about being positive or even getting a glance of the report for personal satisfaction? Can we equate this scene to when one is said to be diagnosed of cancer or kidney failure, etc, to just accept that he/she has been diagnosed of these diseases and then allowing for chemotherapy or dialysis treatment, etc., without seeing or validating his/her report at first?
Further, why is the state COVID-19 portal with the option to view the tests results being put up when at the very first instance upon entering the personal details of the person tested, the test details show as N/A (Not Available). Why is it so difficult for the authorities to update the details on this portal if they cannot disburse a physical or digital copy to each of the positive tested patients? These are matters concerning the public at large and need to be taken into account without further delay.
In conclusion, trust is a big question now, as it is a two way street – you can’t expect the public to trust the public authorities when they fail to deliver something for which they have taken the Hippocratic oath to carry out for the people they are entrusted with.
Yours etc;
Mewan Pariat
Shillong
Delay at Byrnihat entry point
Editor,
Apropos the news report in your daily on Wednesday where the NEIGRIHMS director claims that the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) being carried out at Byrnihat are a waste of resources, makes a lot of sense. If people had been told from the very beginning that before entering the state they should get a Covid19, RT-PCR test done at their respective places of origin which is valid for 72 hours, so much time, money and manpower would have been saved. Those entering Meghalaya since April this year have been held up for hours at the Byrnihat entry point. The people working there cannot be blamed because they have been trained to work meticulously, but, that itself is time consuming. The thing about Covid is that we all live and learn. We hope that the experiences at Byrnihat will be collated so that the errors can be eliminated and things made smarter.
Yours etc.,
G Khonglah (a returnee)
Via email
Shillong’s abandoned flyovers
Editor,
Nowadays, people in government as well as the public are talking and writing about, how to use the PWD land at Barik. From these writings we see two main groups of people with different wishes and opinions. But this time I would like to remind everybody that a few years back when Mr Paul Lyngdoh was the Minister in charge Urban Affairs Deptt, he proposed the construction of flyovers in order to ease the congestion in Shillong. It is a fact that the government had written/approached the Union Defence Ministry to part with land in some part of Shillong under the Cantonment. But the Ministry of Defence declined to oblige the request when Govt of Meghalaya could not give other land in exchange. From that year, the Govt of Meghalaya seemed to have given up the idea of constructing flyovers in Shillong. The public also seem to have forgotten because all these years till date, nobody ever writes or talks about reviving the proposal.
But there is a real need to have flyovers in Shillong in view of the rise in population and the number of vehicles every year. Twenty years from now it will be near impossible to drive on the roads of Shillong. What will happen to the elderly and the small children who cannot walk long distances? What about the sick who need to go to the doctor or hospital? People will blame and curse the present leaders of the state for lack of vision and foresight.
As a concerned citizen I see that there is no difficulty if the Govt of Meghalaya has courage and really wants to construct flyovers in Shillong by avoiding Defence land. We urgently need flyovers in Old Shillong as well as flyovers for New Shillong as there is at present only a small road which is the only road link for the entire population of Meghalaya to reach New Shillong.
Lastly, coming back to the use of PWD land at Barik, there can be many proposals such as an eco-park or any iconic structure with a circular parking area for vehicles side by side with the flyovers but certainly not a shopping mall and no roadside hawkers should be allowed in the vicinity.
Yours etc.,
P S Keri,
Shillong-6