We shall overcome: Our complacency in Health care

Sarthak sonwalkar

Nero is said to have stood atop a hill and see the Rome burning. For it didn’t cost anything to him and he is further said to have used it to further his own agendas of consolidating power.
Health care has appeared as a constant challenge to India. It’s not the ongoing crisis of COVID-19 which has put us under test, rather its an age old phenomena, and maybe as a nation we had got so much used to the state of affairs. India carries the highest burden of Tuberculosis with around 27% of the worldwide cases and deaths. We are also amongst the 11 high risk Malaria countries. Most of us are also aware of the fact of 67% of out-of-pocket spending on health, with around 38 million people being pushed into poverty each year (British Medical Journal). These figures shall be seen in the light of the fact that who does poor healthcare system affects the most – the poor, the marginalized, the downtrodden, who everyday face se vetal health risks and vulenrability. Yet we have watched them from the top of a hill, for perhaps they havent represented as a constituency or that our healthcare in shambles hasnt generated concerns yet.

IN WAR AGAINST COVID-19
The COVID-19 however doesnt distinguish of the basis of one’s status and leaves a person on no island of seclusion, as 16th century poet John Donne says. Unlike confinement of other critical issues like TB, malnutrition, among others to the underprivileged and often invisible people, this disease transcends many domains. In fact the very nature of spread has occurred in the midst of features of globalization and it’s impacts on economy and other domains too concern an inter-connected world. A crucial decisions ranging from banning international flights and imposing restrictions on entry from other nations have reinforced this.
The surfacing of reports of death from countries such as Italy and Spain has set the country worrying and both wondering about what would happen if the pandemic was to have an outbreak of such a magnitude in the country and every citizen, rich or poor, is worried of such a possible scenario. The imposition of 21 days lockdown is necessary at the moment. It shall however also raise our consciousness about those whose normal lives and productivity take a perpetual hit even while there is no virus like COVID-19 around, for our healthcare system can’t respond to them even during usual days. Even during these times they stand at the front line of challenge, with poor clean water availability, sanitation facilities, congested households, among others. We must also bring in to light the working conditions of frontline healthcare workers, especially rural medical care providers, district hospitals, community care centres, et al, whose safety should also be our primary concern.

Jharia: the burning coalfield of india
We have been witnessing our healthcare system from a proverbial ivory tower. In most probabilities we shall be successful in fighting off the on going crisis. The question however is that whether we will seek to improve and overhaul our current healthcare system and make it more inclusive, for our complacency has taken a hit. Any vision herein has to be inclusive, holistic and well thought in terms of priorities that we as people give to.