News Analysis India

Tag: Pandemic

  • Maharashtra: 230 resident doctors at Nagpur government medical college on mass leave

    By PTI
    NAGPUR: A total of 230 resident doctors of a government medical college in Nagpur in Maharashtra on Tuesday went on an indefinite mass leave demanding they be relieved from COVID-19 duties at a time when the number of cases is falling so that they can focus on post-graduation.

    The protest has not affected the emergency and ICU services at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH).

    Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) president at IGGMCH Dr Rajat Agrawal told PTI that 230 resident doctors decided to go on indefinite mass leave as the issues raised by them in the past remained unresolved.

    “The resident doctors of the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital have been working selflessly to treat patients during the COVID pandemic waves for the last 15 months,” he said.

    Dr Agrawal said the resident doctors should be allowed to concentrate on post-graduate studies given the pandemic situation in the Nagpur district is under control now.

    He also demanded “complete handover of the surgical complex for non-COVID work as per the assurance given by the district collector”.

    Dr Agrawal claimed the resident doctors had written memorandums of demands to the IGGMCH dean in the past but failed to receive any response either from the hospital administration or the district administration.

    “Under this situation when the academics of resident doctors is being completely neglected by the concerned administration, the IGGMCH resident doctors are left with no choice but to withdraw our services from our duties and go on indefinite mass leave from today,” Dr Agrawal said.

  • Government ‘must have ears on the ground’, says SC; flags digital divide on CoWIN registration for jabs 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Highlighting “digital divide” between rural and urban India, the Supreme Court Monday posed searching queries to the Centre on mandatory registration on CoWIN for COVID jabs, vaccine procurement policy and differential pricing, saying the policymakers “must-have ears on ground” to effectively deal with the “unprecedented” crisis.

    Asking the Centre to “smell the coffee” and ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are available at the same price across the nation, a special bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud advised the government to be flexible with its policies to deal with the “dynamic pandemic situation”.

    “We are not framing the policy. There is an order of April 30 that these are the problems. You should be flexible. You cannot just say that you are the Centre and you know what is right. We have a strong arm to come down on this,” said the bench which also comprised justices L N Rao and S Ravindra Bhat.

    Towards the end of the hearing, the bench however hailed the Centre and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for the efforts to deal with the pandemic saying, “The idea is not to criticize or pull down anybody. When the EAM went to the USA and entered into the dialogue, it showed the importance of the situation”.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central government, also referred to the one-to-one talks undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with heads of various nations to effectively deal with the situation and urged the bench not to pass any order which may impede the ongoing diplomatic and political efforts to get the vaccines.

    “The purpose of this hearing is dialogic. The purpose is to create dialogue so that the voices of others can be heard,” the bench said, adding, “We will not say anything which will impede the welfare of the nation.” Mehta also informed the top court about the normalising pandemic situation and said the entire eligible population (above 18 years of age) would be vaccinated by the end of 2021 and if ongoing talks with companies like Pfizer succeed then the timeline for completing the vaccination may get advanced.

    Justice Chandrachud, who himself is recovering from coronavirus infection, questioned the vaccine procurement policy and raised the issue of digital divide questioning the policy of mandatory registration on CoWIN App for jabs.

    “You keep on saying the situation is dynamic but policy makers must have their ears on ground. You keep on saying ‘digital India, digital India’ but the situation is actually different in rural areas. How will an illiterate labourer from Jharkhand get registered in Rajasthan? Tell us how you will address this digital divide,” the bench asked.

    “You must smell the coffee and see what is happening across the country. You must know the ground situation and change the policy accordingly. If we had to do it, we would have done it 15-20 days back,” it said.

    Mehta replied that registration is mandatory as a person needs to be traced for a second dose and as far as rural areas are concerned, there are community centres where a person can get registered for vaccination.

    The bench asked the Centre to place the policy document before it on record. “If we say there is a problem, we expect you to look into it. Digital literacy in India is far from perfect. I am the Chairman of the (Supreme Court) e-Committee. I have seen the problems which afflict this. You have to be flexible and keep your ears on the ground,” the bench said.

    On the Centre’s procurement policy, it referred to the fact that states like Punjab and Delhi are in the process of issuing global tenders to procure foreign vaccines for COVID-19. The bench said even Municipal Corporation like BMC has received bids.

    “Is this the policy of the central government that the state or municipal corporation can procure the vaccine or the Union Government is going to procure for them like a nodal agency? We want clarity on this and rationale behind this policy,” the bench said.

    It asked the law officer to address dual pricing policy and said, “we have some concerns. Now we have a spectacle, where different municipal corporations, different states are issuing global tenders. We want to know, is this the policy of the Government of India. Does the Centre contemplate that for the procurement for foreign vaccines, that there will be individual states or corporations submitting bids or are you going to be a nodal agency for the bids.” It said: “Till date we have not seen the policy document which articulates this. We want to see the files. We want to know the rationale. To say that the Centre will procure at a lesser price, and manufacturers are free to sell it at a particular price to others, we want to know the rationale.”

    It said that India has a federal structure and the individual states cannot be “left in lurch” and the Centre should procure and distribute it among the states.

    “What is the vaccine policy of India. Do you treat yourselves as one National Agency and procure for the States or have the States been left on their own,” the bench asked.

    The bench also heard submissions from senior advocates and amicus curiae Jaideep Gupta and Meenakshi Arora on various aspects related to COVID-19 management in the country and asked the Centre to file an affidavit within two weeks on issues raised and discussed during the hearing.

    The top court was hearing a suo motu case on the management of the COVID situation in the country.

  • Families of frontline workers who died of Covid didn’t get ex-gratia, alleges Akhilesh

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: The BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government broke its word by not making ex-gratia payments promised to the families of frontline workers, who died of COVID-19, Samajwadi party alleged on Monday.

    “Chief Minister used to announce compensation for the families of health workers and others who died due to the coronavirus while serving patients. Prime Minister was seen getting emotional about the loss of lives many a time during the pandemic but BJP has an expertise in forgetting promises,” SP President Akhilesh Yadav said in a statement.

    “In the injustice meted to the families of the corona warriors, who lost their lives (due to the virus), BJP’s insensitive and inhumane behaviour is clear,” he added.

    The former UP chief minister felt that the government made mockery of itself and people’s expectations. According to him, the saffron party lost its credibility and people’s trust in its rule of four years in the state so far.

    “Seven months after Sub-Inspector Mukesh Arya died in Kanpur, his family did not receive pension or the government job promised to one of them,” Yadav said, claiming that Rs 50 lakh compensation was announced for them.

    He also alleged that there were irregularities on part of officers in preparing list of Covid deaths.

    “At Kanpur’s Kakadev police station, eight policemen died but the list sent to the government mentioned only two names,” he alleged, adding: “In Lucknow, family members of LDA engineer SK Agarwal have not received the PF money yet.” According to the teachers’ body, over 1,600 teachers and workers of the Basic Education Department have died in the state since the first week of April due to Covid-19 and 90 per cent of them were on panchayat polls duty.

    “While over 1,600 teachers died but the Basic Education says only three did many families have lost their only earning members,” he said.

  • Black fungus found in brains of many patients in Indore hospital

    By PTI
    INDORE: Mucormycosis or black fungus has been detected in the brains of at least 15 per cent of patients admitted for the infection in Government Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, a senior doctor said on Monday.

    Of the 368 Mucormycosis patients admitted in MYH, an initial study has shown that 55 of them have the infection in their brains, and this has been confirmed by CT (computerised tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans, said Dr Rakesh Gupta, head of department, neurosurgery, MYH.

    While most of these patients had a “small size infection” in their brains, four had to go undergo major brain surgery to prevent the spread of infection, Dr Gupta said.

    He said the infection had reached the brains of these patients through their sinus before hospitalisation.

    Some other experts said the initial symptoms of black fungus infection in the brain included headache and vomiting, with the patient later losing consciousness as the infection spreads.

    Meanwhile, another official said the shortage of Amphotericin-B injections was affecting efforts to tackle the black fungus infection.

    While black fungus infection is being found mostly in COVID-19 patients and those who had recovered from it, there are some cases where Mucormycosis has struck those who never contracted coronavirus.

  • Delhi CM will continue to demand Covid vaccines despite attack by BJP: Sisodia

    Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJP chief JP Nadda have #39;criticised and abused #39; Kejriwal as he has started demanding more vaccines for Delhi, he said.

  • Greenpeace India writes to WTO to end patent rights on COVID-19 vaccines

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Greenpeace India on Monday urged the World Trade Organization (WTO) to waive intellectual property and patent rights on Covid vaccines, saying equity and access gaps in inoculation rates of rich and poor countries is costing lives.

    In an open letter to the WTO, it also said India is facing a massive shortage of vaccines and the WTO’s decision on intellectual property and patent rights on vaccines could either strengthen the fight against the Covid pandemic or lead to a battle that cannot be won.

    The letter comes ahead of the WTO TRIPs (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Council meet from June 8-9.

    “Nine out of 10 people in developing countries may not receive a vaccine in 2021. India is facing a massive shortage of COVID-19 vaccines necessary to tackle the pandemic. The decisions by the WTO and the member delegates will either strengthen the fight against the pandemic or condemn a large section of the world’s population to fight a losing battle against it,” said the Greenpeace letter addressed to WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

    It also said that big pharmaceutical companies were not willing to share the science and technology to augment production of vaccines, delaying rollout in several countries.

    “The unwillingness of big pharmaceutical companies to share the science and technology that is essential to ramp up production is delaying vaccine rollout in the Global South. In fact, the World Health Organisation referred to it as a ‘vaccine apartheid’,” the letter said.

    The knowledge developed by these companies was significantly funded by public money hence, it is only logical that this knowledge is widely shared for the greater good, it said.

    “This is the time to record the power of humanity, not profits. A pandemic anywhere is a pandemic everywhere,” the letter said. Greenpeace India said that the letter is open for citizens to endorse.

    “We urge the international community to stand with us and support India and South Africa’s demand to waive intellectual property and patent rights on vaccines. This is not just a health emergency but part of the larger climate and biodiversity crisis plaguing the globe. How the world responds to this pandemic will teach us what is possible for us as humanity – can we respond as a community?” the letter said.

    In October last year, India and South Africa had called for TRIPs waiver of certain intellectual property provisions of COVID-19 vaccines to the WTO.

    Both the nations championed for the developing and poor countries to get access to life-saving vaccines and therapeutics as soon as possible, Greenpeace India said.

    It said the global response to the “vaccine apartheid” as termed by the WHO reflects the inept nature of handling the global crisis by the countries of the world.

    Greenpeace India’s Senior Climate Campaigner Avinash Chanchal said that the scale and spirit of international collaboration to address this humanitarian concern is missing.

    “The response seems to indicate an approach of each unto themselves and a similar attitude reflects in the nature of the response to the on-going climate crises,” he said.

    The WTO council meeting on vaccine equity is a global moment for nations also to signal their willingness to be part of journeys towards greater justice and cooperation between the Global North and South, Chanchal said.

    “The pandemic is not a singular event and needs to be seen as a part of many such moments of crisis that could indicate the nature of the evolving climate crisis as we struggle to stay below 1.5 degrees. The pandemic has offered an opportunity to reimagine our food systems, cities, mobility and access to basic facilities,” he said.

    Chanchal added that the vaccine crisis is not unique to India alone and many other countries like Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Argentina are facing similar challenges.

    “These countries are equally vulnerable to climate change. The act of the multilateral organisations and leaders of nations now during this global crisis, be it with solidarity or insularity will signal to the world the willingness of the richer nations to act together and support the fight on climate change.

    It is a moment to build greater confidence and support to work together for a better, greener, equitable, sustainable world,” he said.

  • Centre provided Rs 204 crore to Himachal Pradesh to tackle COVID-19: BJP spokesperson

    Talking to the media here, Sharma said the Centre also provided several oxygen plants and other equipment to the state.

  • Zero vaccine policy acting like dagger in Mother India’s heart: Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the central government has a “zero vaccine policy” which is acting as a “dagger in Mother India’s heart”.

    He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over media reports which claimed that post-COVID the unemployment rate was in double digits in May this year.

    “The zero vaccine policy of the Modi government is acting like a dagger in Mother India’s heart. Sad truth,” Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “One man and his arrogance + One virus and its mutants,” he said in another tweet, citing a report that claimed that “97 per cent of Indians are poorer post-COVID”.

    Gandhi has been critical of the Modi government’s handling of the COVID pandemic and its vaccine policy.

    The BJP has accused Congress of spreading misinformation and fear on vaccination as part of a campaign against the Modi government.

    It said Gandhi should rather be concerned about the Congress-ruled states as they have not been able lift their quota from vaccine producers.

  • Complete shutdown in Lakshadweep extended by seven more days

    By PTI
    KOCHI: The Lakshadweep administration on Monday announced the extension of the complete shutdown for seven more days, beginning May 31, considering the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the islands.

    The complete shutdown was first announced on May 24 for a week. Lakshadweep District Collector S Asker Ali, in an order, also announced a night curfew in five islands, including Kiltan, Chetlath, Bitra, Kadmath and Agatti.

    He said the present situation made it necessary to regulate the movement of people, enhance testing capacity, ensure strict enforcement of prescribed containment strategies, focus on surveillance and strict observance of standard COVID-19 protocol to prevent further spread of the virus as per the latest guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

    Many essential services, including water supply, fire, electricity, police, health, disaster management, shipping, guest house, BSNL, people managing COVID-19, Indian Navy and Coast Guard have been exempted from the shutdown on the production of ID-card with COVID negative test report, the order said.

    “Non-compliance will be taken seriously by the authority and appropriate actions will be taken as per the relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act-2015 and Indian Penal Code,” it said.

    According to officials, there are 2,006 active cases in the islands. The Test Positivity Rate is comparatively high in Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Androth, Amini and Minicoy, they said.

    Authorities said the ‘corona curfew’ enforced in all islands with different timings and exemptions has become an effective tool in the overall containment strategies.

    Last week, the Kerala High Court had dismissed a plea challenging a single bench order in which the court accepted the Lakshadweep administration’s contentions in support of the revision of Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) in connection with the COVID-19 management in the islands.

    The single bench had dismissed a plea challenging the revised SOP issued on December 22 last year, which substituted the earlier mandatory institutional and home quarantine of all persons travelling to the island, with just a negative test report of RT-PCR, obtained 48 hours before the travel.

  • SC takes dig on authorities’ approach on media reportage related to COVID-19′ issues

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday took a dig on authorities for taking strong note of critical media reportage on COVID-19 related issues quipping whether a sedition case has been lodged against a news channel for showing a body being thrown into a river.

    “We saw a picture of a body being thrown in river. I do not know whether a sedition case has been filed against the news channel for showing that,” quipped Justice D Y Chandrachud when the issue of dignified handling of bodies of victims of the deadly virus was raised before a bench headed by him.

    The apex court had earlier taken strong note of registration of criminal cases against those who sought help for COVID-19 related problems on social media and were critical of government’s handling of the pandemic.

    The top court, which was hearing a suo motu case related to supply of essential medicines, vaccines and medical oxygen to patients of COVID-19, made the remarks when senior advocate and amicus curiae Meenakshi Arora raised the issue of dignified handling of bodies of victims of the deadly virus.

    “While crematoriums and burials are state subjects, we have seen that there is no dignity in death. It is unfortunate that we have large number of crematoriums which are not functioning,” said Arora, who is assisting the special bench, also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat.

    Besides the fear of spread of the deadly virus, the issue was the poor people are unable to dispose of the dead as they find the rituals “expensive,” she said.