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IMA Asks Govt, Why Are We Hiding the Actual Death Count? Demands Health Ministry to Wake Up from Slumber

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Indian medical Association to Health ministry

New Delhi: Indian Medical Association has come out criticizing the lackadaisical attitude of the Ministry of Health in combating the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Association has demanded that the Health Ministry should wake up from slumber and respond to mitigate the growing challenges in the pandemic.

The Association came heavily upon the Ministry over several issues including shortage of oxygen and needed drugs and their rising prices, reluctance in imposing proper lockdown, failure to deliver the vaccine to all above 18-years in age, violence against doctors, and indifference of the ministry to the suggestions and inputs of the health professionals and experts.

The IMA, in a statement released today, said that it is astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions from the Ministry of health in combating the agonizing crisis born out of the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The IMA alleges that the government isn’t even considering their requests.

“The collective consciousness, proactive cognizance, and requests made by IMA and other professional learned colleagues are put into the dust bin, and often without realizing the ground realities the decisions are taken,” IMA said in the statement.

Why We Are Trying to Hide Actual Deaths? Asks IMA

The IMA alleged that the transparency in reporting and making registry is not carried out.

“’ We have lost 756 doctors in the first wave and in the second wave, more than 146 doctors have died within a short period. Hundreds of deaths happening in big hospitals are shown as non-COVID deaths and crematoriums are showing houseful boards. RTPCR negative, but CT positive cases are not counted. Why we are trying to hide actual deaths?” the IMA asked.  

The Association further said that if the public comes to know about the actual deaths, their seriousness to adopt COVID-appropriate behaviours will rise.

Further, the benefits of insurance are also denied to the victims of this pandemic when the death is not officially certified, the Association said.

Need for Complete, Planned Lockdown to Break the Chain

Further, the Association said that in the last 20 days it had been insisting on the need for complete, well-planned preannounced national lockdown rather than few states declaring complete lockdown ranging for 10 days to 15 days to getting breathing time for the health care infrastructure to recoup and replenish both the material and manpower. The Association said that lockdown will break the chain of devastating spread.

“However, the Central government had refused to head to implement lockdown resulting in the mounting of new patients beyond 4 lakhs every day and the number of moderate to severe cases is increasing to nearly 40 percent. Sporadic night curfews have not done any good. Life is precious than the economy,” the Association said.

Despite Oxygen Crisis, The Government is Not Seen at the Forefront to Solve It

The Association also took up the oxygen crisis India is facing. The crisis of oxygen is deepening every day and scores of people are succumbing to the 02 mismatch supply and it is creating panic both among patients and fraternity, the Association said.  Though there is enough production it is often the distribution is not proper. Most of the private hospitals are not getting oxygen and in every public health care place patients are crowding and suffering to get oxygen in the needed amount. The Association further added that even after 15 days of the crisis, the government is not seen at the forefront to solve these issues and resulting in people knocking at the doors of courts to get justice, resulting in judicial activism.

“Health care professional organizations are neither consulted nor the Health minister in this whole pandemic had time to interact with modern medicine professional organizations to solve this issue. Imported oxygen concentrators and oxygen plants are yet to reach the beneficiaries, the IMA said.

“IMA appeal, as the time is running out with the impending crisis lest, we deepen the crisis, solve it on a war footing,” the statement said.

Ministry Failed to Ensure Vaccination for All Above 18 Years

The Association said that the equitable, accessible, and affordable vaccination for all above at least 18 years was demanded by the IMA based on scientific facts from April 6th onwards and after persistent call. It said that the prime minister assured the nation, the vaccination drive will be started from May 1st.

“It is unfortunate the ministry has failed to make the necessarily required road map and ensure vaccine stock, resulting in the majority of the places vaccination could not be rolled out for people above 18 years,” the statement said.

The Association said that with the un humanistic differential pricing system proposed, the 15-45 age group people are forbidden to get the free vaccination from the central share of 50% and they are placed under the mercy of state governments.

The jeopardy of private practitioners and states to negotiate with manufacturers for pricing and stock resulted in exorbitant price rise and vaccine shortage, the statement said.

“In 1997 and 2014 India could declare eradication of smallpox and polio, only by adopting the universal free vaccination and not by differential pricing system When 35,000 Crore Rs were allotted in the budget, with which the maximum required 200 crore vaccine dozes are purchasable, why the central government is shedding its responsibility?” the Association asked.  

The Association said that unless the government comes out and implements with willingness and steadfastness for equitable distribution, the nation will not be able the achieve the goal. The Association pointed out that for the last 7 days no vaccine is available in small and medium private hospitals

Real Hazard Not explained in Actual Terms, Testing Decreasing Instead of Increasing

The IMA said that the mutation is a norm for RNA viruses and understanding this needs proper gene sequencing and risk assessment.

“Unless we make our self-prepared to face this by enhancing testing, we will miss the boat. Tough various mutants are identified yet the real hazard is not explained in actual terms. Dedicate experts shall be designated to study this and propose mitigation measures at the earliest. The IMA suggested for enhancing testing and tracing, but it is decreasing,” the statement said. 

Shortage of Needed Drugs Mounting, Govt Not Capping Price and Removing GST

The IMA said that the shortage of needed drugs for treating COVID including steroids is mounting in many places. Though exporting is stopped off late, production is not enhanced to the level of need, resulting in black marketing and hoarding, it said.

“More painfully spurious drugs are on the road. Price capping and systematic tracking with surveillance were suggested as a means, but the government is not interested in capping the price and remove the GST. Masks, PPE Kits, and lifesaving drugs are under GST, and rampant price rise is happening a every day,” the IMA said.

Suggestions to Augment Manpower Ignored by Govt

The Association also said that manpower shortage is dealt with knee jerk reactions than with progressive inclusive planning and consultation with suffering junior doctors.

“Most of the inputs offered to augment manpower were not adopted by the Government,” the IMA said.

Control Violence Against Doctors

The Association highlighted that violence against doctors and health care professionals is increasing. When a death occurs not due to disease but lack of infrastructure, the affected people are expressing their anger by vandalizing hospitals and health care professionals, the Association said.

“Who is going to control this? Our demand to bring in Central law against hospital violence tagged with IPC provisions and declare hospitals as protective shown couldn’t evoke any palpable response from Government,” the IMA said.

“We once again reiterate, if the violence is not controlled and a safe environment is not created for doctors to work with peace, it is going to be a disastrous situation on the health care outcome,” it said.

The IMA has also demanded that the entire health care administration should be revamped with Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadets who are well versed with the technical and administrative skill for effective execution of health care.

The Association also demanded that to establish a new integrated Ministry to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front.

“We propose for augmentation of infrastructure, materials, and manpower by enhancing health care budget to be rabed from 1% of GDP to minimum 8-10% OF GDP and judiciously use the earmarked budget amount for ensuring equitable and affordable Universal vaccination,” the IMA said.

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Most Covid Restrictions to be Lifted From March 31, Mask and Hand Hygiene to Continue

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all caovid restriction lifted in himachal pradesh

New Delhi-The Centre has issued a notification to the States informing that the provisions of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005 will not be invoked in the country after March 31. The Union Health Ministry said that the use of face masks and following hand hygiene will continue.

It implies that most of the Covid-related rules and restrictions would end.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla issued the notification which said that the decision was taken following the overall improvement in the situation and the preparedness of the government in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, local authorities and State police can still invoke fines and criminal cases against persons violating COVID-19 norms under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a senior government official said.

The DM Act was invoked on March 24, 2020, due to the pandemic

“Over the last seven weeks or so there has been a steep decline in the number of cases. The total caseload in the country stands at 23,913 only and the daily positivity rate has declined to 0.28%. It is also worth mentioning that with the combined efforts, a total of 181.56 Cr vaccine doses have been administered,” the notification said.

“I would like to mention that in view of the nature of the disease, we still need to remain watchful of the situation. Wherever any surge in the number of cases is observed, the States/UTs may consider taking prompt and proactive action at a local level, as advised by MoHFW (Health Ministry) from time to time,” the notification said.

The Indian government had issued various guidelines and measures for the first time on March 24, 2020, under the Disaster Management Act to curb the COVID-19 situation in the country, which have been modified several times thereafter.

India currently has 23,087 active COVID-19 cases and recorded 1,778 new cases and 62 deaths in the last 24 hours. The daily positivity rate has also declined to 0.28%.

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Vaccination of 15-18 Year Age Group in India from Jan 3, Precautionary Dose for Frontline Workers from Jan 10

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teenage vaccination in india

New Delhi-India will begin vaccination of the children in the age group of 15-18 years from 3rd January 2022. The move is likely to aid in education normalization in schools. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narender Modi on Saturday evening. He also announced a precaution dose (booster dose) for healthcare and frontline workers from 10th January 2022, Monday.

In India, this has been called the ‘precaution dose’ not booster dose. An option of precaution dose will be available for senior citizens above 60 years of age with co-morbidities on the advice of their doctors from 10th January 2022. 

Referring to the Omicron infections In India, the Prime Minister requested the people not to panic and to follow precautions such as masks and washing hands repeatedly.

According to the Government, the vaccination campaign started on 16th January this year has crossed the mark of 141 crore doses, and 61 percent of the adult population of the country has received both the vaccines and 90 percent of adults have received one dose.

According to the Government statistics, currently, the country has 18 lakh isolation beds, 5 lakh oxygen supported beds, 1 lakh 40 thousand ICU beds, 90 thousand ICU and Non-ICU beds especially for children, more than 3 thousand PSA oxygen plants, 4 lakh oxygen cylinders and support to states is being provided for buffer doses and testing.

The Prime Minister assured that soon the country will develop a nasal vaccine and the world’s first DNA vaccine.

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels

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Three Farm Laws to be Withdrawn, Announces PM Modi Ahead of Elections in Punjab and UP

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farm laws withdrawn

New Delhi: Ahead of assembly polls in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narender Modi on Friday retreated from his stand on the three contentious farm laws and announced that the government will repeal three laws. He requested the protesting farmers to end the protest that has been going on for over a year now.

He said the three laws would be repealed in the winter session of Parliament starting later this month. He also said that though the laws were in the interest of the farmers, his government failed to convince them.

The Prime Minister chose the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti to make this announcement. The decision is being perceived as an attempt to appease the farmers, especially in Punjab ahead of the assembly polls. Also, the results of by-poll held in various states are being seen as a setback to the ruling government that compelled it to reconsider its stand on the farm bills.  

The Prime Minister said, “today I have come to tell you, the whole country, that we have decided to withdraw all three agricultural laws. In the Parliament session starting later this month, we will complete the constitutional process to repeal these three agricultural laws”.

It’s pertinent to mention that the Centre government had to announce a cut in taxes on petrol and diesel right after the results of bye polls were declared.

The three contentious bills are The Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill.

The opposition Congress and farmers’ bodies have termed it a victory of their unity against the government’s decision. Former Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh was one of the first to welcome the decision through a Tweet.

 

 

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