Dr Ram Mohan Jha
Have we miserably failed as a system when it comes to handling covid-19?Yes,we have! Have no qualms in accepting this grim reality. Or, is it too early to point finger at the establishment? No, it's not because numbers don't lie. Well, speaking of numbers, it's in itself a total eyewash for so many reasons.
The covid-19 pandemic has made one thing, if not many, dead clear. Our leadership and thus health care system is many decisions away from a transformation. As the world is grappling with covid-19, our preparedness in terms of policy making, strengthening logistics, procuring essential supplies,upgrading health infrastructure and training medical personnel has been too little, too late. Let me break it down for you. Of all, unavailability of protective gears and essential supplies has been the biggest tangible parameter which needs no further justification to substantiate the claim, as it speaks volume. Many health care providers on the frontline throughout the length and breadth of this country including myself have been obliged to discharge their duty without proper PPE. Yes, discharging duties irrespective of circumstances is must....but at what cost!We've got to pause and rethink. I was the doctor on duty who got exposed to the very 1st case of covid-19 that sunsari district witnessed. Having been put at the lower end of priority order despite being a health personnel on the frontline , I've had to wait for so long to get myself tested. The report is still awaited. If, God forbid, I test positive for covid-19 ,the entire hospital would have to be sealed,like many others.Other medical officers including many health care personnels who have secondarily been exposed are nowhere close to being tested despite WHO's appeal and NMA's press release on the matter in general. Inadvertently & Ironically, health care workers have now been emerging as a potential carrier of infection due to aforementioned reasons. The game has just begun. If only we fail to address it before it's too late, it won't be long before we end up witnessing the collapse of entire health care system. What next then, only god knows!
Nepal is the 5th country in the world to have encountered the virus. Nepal witnessed it's 1st case of Covid-19 On 24th january, way before WHO declared Covid-19 a global pandemic on 11th march 2020,which is why WHO intially classified Nepal as "very vulnerable". Such an alarm failed to rouse our leaders at the helm. NPHL was the only laboratory capable of testing the disease as of 15th march 2020. We've had to wait for the 2nd case of Covid-19 to surface only to know hospitals lack PPE and NPHL lacks testing kits. Was the timescale not enough for us to get ourselves prepared? They waited for the last moment to fix it all.But sadly, they failed to get it done yet again. It seems like they have submitted to God's will or "Bhagwan varosa" as the slang goes. I don't want to get into the politics of procurement of essential supplies from china because it looks as ugly as it does.I, at the moment, can only pity our leadership.
Many medical personnel have been stigmatized as there is growing fear in the hearts & mind of people of contracting infection.But our leadership has been a mute spectator. I am realistic enough to understand the challenges of battling Covid-19,a new beast. But I am not naive enough to overlook the sluggishness and procrastination displayed by our government. Enough of statements expressing concerns. It's time to act, or else the condition becomes more worse than they may already be.
(Medical Officer at Inaruwa district hospital, Sunsari)
