outlookindia.com 2021-04-30T17:18:21+05:30
As we brave the firestorm of the COVID-19 second wave, the single, clear, overall impression is that the government’s efforts to tackle this unprecedented crisis have all but collapsed. Individuals are on their own, assisted by a heroic but over-strapped healthcare system rising to the challenge, backed by civil society efforts. The problems are too numerous and grim to be enumerated, ranging from shortage of oxygen, to beds, vaccines and medication.
Yet, when the layers of government are peeled away, below the overall failure, a chequered picture emerges. Some states are doing better than others in all aspects of facing the devastation. Local governments such as municipalities and panchayats are also performing better, though their efforts are not celebrated enough as they happen far from the media’s eye. The Union government’s failures are all out there for us to see, regardless of the efforts to remove social media post
outlookindia.com 2021-04-30T17:23:10+05:30
We have lost too many lives, and we should not wait for action as more deaths keep piling. First, by avoiding a blame game, we should fix accountability so that necessary changes are incorporated in the efficient management of the pandemic situation. All over the world, second waves were happening while India was going through the low transmission season. As in war, the best time to defeat the enemy is when it is weak. Squandering this opportunity, the country did not plan to prevent and mitigate the serious consequences of a second wave. Even in states where technical experts advised an imminent second wave, nothing changed much due to other competing priorities. We need to finalise a plan for the long haul of managing multiple waves, including an action plan for enhancing vaccination coverage through strong microplanning, intensive mobilisation and effective communication strategies.