Editor,
It is troubling to read newspaper reports of the unpreparedness of our state to meet the looming healthcare crisis of the Covid second wave. The director of NEIGRIHMS has forewarned the state authorities of its fund crunch and manpower shortage, and its inability to cope with the impending upsurge of patients. According to a report in the Shillong Times, Apr 22, 2021, this premier institute of the region has not received funds to meet this contingency, either from the central or state governments. The hapless director of NEIGRIHMS has been bluntly told to, “not lose hope because the central and state governments are with them.” This is a meaningless reassurance because government hospitals do not earn revenue and are dependent on the exchequer.
The Director of Health Services has admitted that the state cannot handle 100 critical cases at the same time, and that only 111 ventilators are available. Quite apparently, the nation and the state has failed to adequately use the window of Covid decline to prepare for the second wave, which had already overtaken many other countries. No doubt sections of the irresponsible public are also to blame, but overall we have seen a stumbling performance from the authorities, not even sufficient oxygen manufacturing capacity, except for Kerala.
For a poor state and a developing country, tertiary health care is too expensive, so the emphasis must be on vaccination. As per the CoWin portal, 1.69 lakh persons have been vaccinated till date in Meghalaya. The eligible population as of now is about 6.5 lakhs, which means that only 25% have been vaccinated in the last almost two months.
From May 1, all those above 18 years will be eligible for vaccination. The adult population in the state is about 20 lakhs. At the present rate of vaccination, a rough projection for this exercise would be around one and a half years.
The Government has indicated that “The target is to vaccinate all 6.5 lakh eligible beneficiaries within a week or ten days” as reported in the Shillong Times, Apr 22, 2021. It is good to read that more vaccination centres will be opened. The State must declare a time-bound plan for vaccination of all eligible adults. If twenty thousand a day can be vaccinated, all adults will be vaccinated in three months.
The State Government may have challenges of manpower and logistics. In the medium term, the training of more health professionals is imperative. The two promised medical colleges for the state are yet to start. The State also needs to quickly set up more institutions for the training of public health and paramedical professionals.
Rather than bits and pieces planning and pronouncements, a cohesive plan is needed.
Yours etc.,
Glenn C. Kharkongor
Via email
Let’s fight Covid unitedly
Editor,
As the second Covid 19 wave hits our state again, it has sent the government and the administration into a tizzy. The medical infrastructure which was already overstretched is now once again spread thin and the Government is all out to tackle it head-on even though the funds are barely available. The citizens who were slowly getting back into a semblance of normalcy are now again left staring at uncertainty and fear of the unknown. The enemy is invisible and one doesn’t know who or what to fight or protect ourselves against. However this time let us rally together and take precautions. Let us follow all the necessary protocols and do our bit. For, it is in doing so that we will survive this worldwide pandemic. Let us be Covid heroes not Covidiots and in the process help ourselves to come out victorious.
Yours etc.,
Angela Lyngdoh.
Shillong -14
No lockdowns please!
Editor,
Lockdowns invariably stifle our lives. Of course, in exceptional cases lockdowns may be imposed – as a “necessary evil”. So, we had better explore other available options to fight Covid-19 before clamping complete lockdown. To our great relief, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now echoed similar opinions and seems regretful of last year’s blanket lockdowns.
The continuous lockdowns last year left millions of households in wretched conditions. Innumerable poor people died/ suffered not because of COVID but for various other reasons including starvation. Sadly there is no end to their woes and trauma till the date. The massive loss of employments had badly hit millions of citizens. Was it not a nightmare to have to undertake the strenuous journey on foot from metro cities to their homes? Some even traveled the distance of 1500 Kms without food. Each poverty-stricken migrant worker has his/her own tragic story of suffering which we people living in luxury will never be able to imagine.
Frankly speaking, when such an uncontrollable and sudden mass exodus occurs in major cities, no one ever cares to follow the rules and regulations, let alone the COVID-19 precautions. The frantic crowds usually have no time to listen to words of wisdom. If we objectively analyze the resultant outcome of the lockdown, it was a total failure with unprecedented economic loss. To save some we had put the whole fortune of civilization at risk. How could we think of saving lives when our economic resources drain away? I believe we should not call for such situations that might lead to another bout of mass exodus of migrant workers and students. Let’s oppose the lockdown with “sensitivity and prudence”. More than anything, the lockdown isolation unarguably contributes to weakening our immunity to fight the Covid virus. Let’s not waste our breath on such measures that finally render us weaker and reduces our immunity.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
Schools violating Govt guidelines
Editor,
Apropos the letter, “School violating Govt guidelines”, as a parent-teacher myself I agree with Patrick Kurbah’s submission. A school is an educational institution which comprises the management, teaching and non-teaching staff, students and parents. When the Government has declared that all schools within East Khasi Hills District are to close down for 14 days, it includes teachers as well. But some schools are exempting teachers from this order on the plea that they have to take online classes from the school. Teachers gave their best in the first year of the pandemic and we are doing it well till date. In many schools teachers did not compromise the quality of education despite working from home so why are schools treating teachers as if they are the frontline warriors?
In your esteemed newspaper dated April 21, 2021, the bold headline says, “Is State Prepared Enough?” But my question is – “Are the School Managements prepared to risk the valuable lives of their teachers who leave their families and children at home everyday to take care of other people’s children? Are teachers not human? Is risking our lives worth it? Schools which have asked the teachers to attend to their duties after the order was given also know that teachers cannot say ‘NO’ despite the alarming Covid cases as we have to feed our families. Will the school managements take the fall if teachers are sick? Many teachers in our state don’t have the luxury of coming to school in their own vehicles or to reserve a taxi. Hence they have to reach school via public transport which makes them vulnerable. It is not surprising that schools decided to ask the teachers to attend school after the said order but what is appalling is that the school notifies the teachers to attend school every day from 8:15 AM to 3:30 PM when online classes start from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Teachers teach children to be disciplined and follow classroom rules and yet the school itself cannot follow a simple guideline which can save many lives.
Yours etc.,
Lamphang Sohkhlet,
(a parent-teacher)
Via email