The scientists had already warned about the surge of COVID in March and it would be naïve to believe that the Prime Minister was not briefed on this and the danger ahead if such huge gathering takes place in Haridwar. Not only that the site lacked required facilities to test and to treat. The rallies in West Bengal totally without following COVID norms has been seen by everyone. When the head of the government defies his own edict how can one expect COVID appropriate behaviour from the ordinary masses who always view the leaders as role models and try to follow them.

In fact there has been lack of concern and scientific approach towards the COVID crises. It has been more of gimmickry, political oriented and self-chest thumping. The whole thing started from the total unpreparedness and callous attitude of the government when the spread of COVID was known globally and the WHO had issued warnings. Months of December 2019 then January, February and March 2020 were wasted as the government was busy in other affairs. It has now become clear that the lockdown imposed on 24th March 2020 was without consultation with the health professionals, economists, the cabinet or the executive.

This has been revealed by the BBC which got the information through several RTIs. The government has not denied BBC’s report. This means that it was totally authoritarian and unscientific decision on the part of the Prime Minister without considering any benefit that the lockdown would give or the harm it would do to the jobs, livelihood, food security and life as a whole of the working people. No wonder it led to unemployment of more than 12 crore people and economic set back to the vast majority. Sadly during this last one year the Prime Minister has not uttered a single word of empathy for those who suffered while walking to their native places during the lockdown. However during that period, according to Oxfam, the average increase in Ambani’s wealth in just over four days represented more than the combined annual wages of all of Reliance Industries’ 195,000 employees.

The scientific experience has shown that lockdown does not help in eliminating the disease. It only gives you time to prepare. This is evident from the fact that at the time of lockdown there were only few hundred cases, while we found persistent increase in number of cases thereafter.

It was sickening to hear the Prime Minister saying in his speech on 25th March that we had won Mahabharata in 18 days and will defeat COVID in 21 days. Such unscientific utterings led to complacency in the society thinking that soon we will be free of disease. This type of gimmicks were repeated from time to time by his band wagon. Lot many myths were spread about treatment of COVID. People were advised to drink cow urine as a cure and the use of Panchgaya which is a mixture of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd, jaggery, ghee, banana, tender coconut and water were propagated to be effective. These absurdities were spoken by several well-meaning leaders including the west Bengal chief of BJP. Soon there was introduction of Coronil by Baba Ramdev a so called medicine developed without any evidence. Worst scenario is that it was promoted by none other than Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister who is an ENT Surgeon trained in modern scientific medicine.

When the vaccines became a global issue, the Prime Minister thought of taking lead and become world’s first to develop vaccines. He asked scientific community to develop vaccine before 15th August 2020. This forced director ICMR to issue strict directives on this. He however retreated after being criticized by the scientific community. Alas the Prime Minister’s dream to announce the vaccine from Red Fort was not fulfilled. Then he decided to send vaccines to other countries without realizing our own needs.

Some very dangerous events occurred. The Tablighis who had gathered in a Masjid in Delhi in a few hundreds were labelled as Corona Bomb and communal hatred was spread against Muslims. They got relief ultimately from the court. But the situation had already been communalised. In contrast we are witnessing lakhs of people at Kumbh who are super spreaders of the disease.

The government kept on boasting about the check on COVID successfully in India as a major gain of the BJP government in general and PM personally in particular. Now we are seeing the surge and shortage of basic things to manage the pandemic, the beds, oxygen, vaccines etc. It was very sorry indeed when the Minister failed to produce any data on number of doctors who died fighting COVID, and for whom the PM had asked our air force to shower flowers.

The time is not lost. Much can be done to assuage the sufferings of the poor. While the upper classes will enjoy the present short lockdowns by eating delicious foods at their home the poor are again seen rushing back home out of real panic based on their experience one year back. They would prefer to die of COVID than starvation. So are the farmers sitting at Delhi borders. Instead of asking them to vacate the place the government should address to their issues.

Health education is a leading factor to prevent, control and treat diseases. State and the people both are responsible for this. Whereas the common man is not expected to hold knowledge on this, the government has sufficient infrastructure and departments who are supposed to design the health education programme and propagate down to the common citizens. For any health education programme to be successful honesty of action is important in the concerned machinery right from ministry to the executive.

Such programmes have to be evidence based and promoted by the professionals. The people must have trust on the educators. It is therefore important that health personnel take lead and guide the polity who should follow their advice as people have more trust on the health professionals when it is an issue of health. The role of several politicians has been more of gimmickry and political interests rather than health concerns even during this serious COVID Pandemic. (IPA Service)