Guest Column

COVID-19 Has Created Another Time Bomb In India; Be Ready To Fight TB

By
Satyanarayan Mohapatra

India is now struggling to control the COVID-19 pandemic, but another health disaster will be a growing headache for our country. Due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, many children missed their routine immunizations — BCG. Data also revealed that child birth has been low and some births have been through unsafe procedures.

India’s long-standing battle has been to fight tuberculosis (TB). At present, we have around 27 lakh of TB patients and every year we see a death of 4,21,000. With COVID-19 attacking the lungs, there could be a rise in TB cases. By 2025, we will have 63 lakh TB patients with number of deaths rising to 15 lakh.

This is quite alarming. Due to importance and care given to COVID-19, we are missing the care to our old enemies malaria, typhoid, dengue and tuberculosis.

This pandemic showed how we have failed miserably in controlling COVID-19, mainly because of our budgetary allocation on public health which is only 1.28% of GDP.

It is seen that the hotspots of COVID-19 are mainly in the cramped and poorly-ventilated populated areas. The symptoms overlap — breathlessness, cough and fever. These are critical points where the patients have to be adequately taken care of. The lockdown enforced in the last week of March for several months has seen fewer children receiving BCG vaccine, which prevents tuberculosis. As per government data, around 10 lakh children missed the vaccine.

Till date, India has ignored investing in public health, as we do not value our citizens’ life. Although this time it was said we will be investing in public health so that we can face any eventualities, the allocation figures are missing.

Our health figures are pathetic — we have understaffed public hospitals, shortage of beds, very low number of intensive care beds. We have only 1.7 nurses per 1,000 people, which is 48 per cent lower than WHO recommendations. The figures of paramedics and doctors are also abysmally low.

The grimness of the situation was reflected in patients sleeping on floors and waiting for beds to be free. Two patients even shared one oxygen station! Limited transportation and lockdown restrictions hampered access to health centres, medicine stores and pharmacies. This was the barrier and interrupted treatment.

This clearly shows that we do not take anything seriously and all planning is based on temporary, case to case basis. The so-called babus and advisors should wake up from their slumber and be ready to fight the dreaded disease of tuberculosis, which is lurking around the corner.

As is known, COVID-19 was only infecting one person from another. We were not successful in slowing it down and, in the process, we missed out on children’s immunization, controlling TB, planning out good public health systems, to name a few.

Satyanarayan Mohapatra

Nutritionist & Food Safety Consultant

Recent Posts

Pigeons Can Pose Grave Risks To Pulmonary Health; Check Details

New Delhi: In India, people love to domesticate pigeons and feed them grains. But not…

November 2, 2024

‘Fauji 2’ Trailer Released On Shah Rukh Khan’s Birthday [Watch]

Mumbai: The makers of ‘Fauji 2’ gave a special gift to Shah Rukh Khan on…

November 2, 2024

Headmaster Suspended For Irregularities In MDM In Odisha’s Jajpur

Jajpur: The Odisha government has suspended headmaster of a high school for irregularities in mid-day…

November 2, 2024

Shah Rukh Khan Attributes His Success To The Women In His Life

Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who celebrated his 59th birthday on Saturday, is one…

November 2, 2024

Last Pitch Ahead Of US Election: Trump Vows To Launch ‘Brand New Economic Miracle’

New York: Three days ahead of US Presidential election, Donald Trump vowed to launch a…

November 2, 2024

Ajay Devgn’s ‘Singham Again’ Mints ₹65 Crore On Opening Day

Mumbai: Ajay Devgn-starrer ‘Singham Again’ emerged a winner in the box-office clash with Kartik Aaryan’s…

November 2, 2024

[Watch] Swati Maliwal Offers CM Atishi Black Polluted Water, Warns Her

New Delhi: Swati Maliwal on Saturday carried out a symbolic protest in a novel way to…

November 2, 2024

Two Arrested For Murder Of Villager On Sorcery Suspicion In Odisha’s Koraput

Koraput: Police have arrested two persons for alleged murder of a man over suspicion of…

November 2, 2024