The pandemic outbreak of coronavirus has changed the course of life and made face-masks, deserted roads, temperature checks-points, police check-posts, house quarantine, work from home, and virtual meetings our new normal. While coughing and sneezing has become a taboo, social distancing has become a global cure against this contagion. Today, with failing health systems, crippling economies, blocked supplies and dying populations, the world needs to stand together more than ever. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 crisis is bringing out the worst of human element - whether its banning export of essential commodities at national level, or non-sharing of resources at state level or stockpiling greedily at an individual level.
Like most of the nations across world, India is also under complete lock-down and in such circumstances falling sick even with an influenza can be a very daunting experience. A few weeks ago due to a sinus attack I was feeling sick and went to the nearest chemist but none was open. So I landed into the nearest hospital, and after the doctor diagnosed me, instead of one medicine which I usually take, I was prescribed four medicines for a week. The entire bill of all the medicines costed me about 1000 rupees, ($13). I wondered while paying my bill that in a country like India, especially during such times why are private hospitals not keeping more generic drugs.
When I was about to leave, I heard a lady doctor yelling at another lady, who was apparently an attendant to some patient and very anxious. Attendant’s time and again entering the ward irked the doctor. She was begging the doctor to give some medicine to the patient so that the patient could sleep as he hadn’t slept even on the night before due to pain. I don’t know if that person was a corona patient or not. I totally understand the doctors are overburdened, burned-out and giving their best to the society and I can’t thank them enough for that. But to talk down to an attendant by saying, it didn’t seem like that doctor was doing it as a duty but definitely as a favour to the patient.
While there are many who are blessed to have great doctors and caring nurses around but there are many who are left at the mercy of such doctors. That lady doctor made me wonder what would be happening in other parts of this country or may be the world for that matter. Another thought that crossed my mind was, if that 5 minutes visit to the hospital cost me rupees 1000, how was that lady managing funds as she did not appear to be from a very well off background. I wonder if private hospitals have cut down on their charges at all during this epidemic. Is government looking into it/ has there any directive been passed with regard to this?
A few days later, Padma Shri awardee Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa died of cardiac arrest after testing positive for coronavirus. His son, Amiteshvar Singh alleged that the Hazoori Ragi died due to the negligence of the health department. Amiteshwar Singh said, “He (Mr. Nirmal Singh) didn’t get proper treatment. He was crying and seeking help. There were four doctors on duty, but none attended to him. I want my sister, my uncle and his family be shifted to a private hospital. I don’t want them to meet the same fate.” He added, “Even thermometers and medical supplies were arranged by us. I stayed with my father during his treatment without any protective gear.”
On the day of Mr. Singh demise, I came across another new story in the local newspaper of Amritsar, which read that all the private hospitals of the city have closed their operation theatres amid the corona crisis. What an emergency surgery is required in some case? The lock-down is worst for the ailing patients and pregnant ladies.
On one hand where doctors have shown an irresponsible and indifferent attitude, on the other several reports came up of doctors being harassed and misbehaved with. There have been multiple reported incidents of landlords or neighbours harassing doctors over fears of spreading of coronavirus in the building. In a recent incident in Indore, stones were pelted at doctors who came to test the suspected coronavirus cases. There have been hawkers and vegetable seller who had to bribe police officers to let them sell their vegetables. It’s not only individuals who are trying to make most of it, but there are companies too, which are exploiting the current circumstances. At the level of government, there are so many funds which have been announced to provide relief and aid to poor, and daily wage earners but not one talks of how they can avail access these funds. Transparency and distribution channel of these funds is highly questionable.
These instances reveal the ugly side of human nature which is far from humanity. It’s very hard to know what is precisely the right thing to do during such times, as government support and guidelines for companies in trouble change everyday. But I guess that is what this fight is all about, not just combating a deadly virus but uprooting the ages old mentality - ‘me first’.
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