Dr Asangba Tzüdir
The easing of lockdown in India is happening at a time when certain states in India are encountering the worst case scenario. For Nagaland, except in the quarantine centers, life seems to have returned to normalcy like the last COVID patient has recovered. However, the news headline “COVID-19 Hospital Dimapur Full” is a matter of concern which would draw many by surprise.
As anticipated the COVID-19 positive cases in Nagaland has already crossed the 100 mark and stands at 127 as on June 9, and is expected to rise being the peak month, and more returnees queued in. This being the situational trend and the fact that COVID-19 Hospital in Dimapur is already full means that the immediate challenge is to seek other alternatives. The 50 bedded COVID Hospital at Assam Rifles Camp, Shokhuvi, may provide some days relief, even if all the 50 beds are reserved for the returnees.
With the numbers increasing at every quarantine centre, the challenges on various fronts will keep mounting. It will become very difficult for those preparing food to provide timely breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are complaints of food not being served on time, but considering the circumstances, one would rather gratefully take the choice of getting it late rather than not served at all. Various communities and organizations including Churches have been at the forefront of delivering various services, and more of community participation is required as back-up replacement plan.
But, not so is the case with doctors and nurses who cannot be replaced nor do they have replacements. One may spare a thought especially for those families where both parents are doctors and on COVID duty. ‘Call to duty’ is a phrase which can be easily uttered and pointed at them if one is not a healthcare worker. This pandemic has once again testified the nobility of this profession. The situation has also once again raised the issue of the disparity in the salaries of contractual and regularized nurses which is “as low as 1/5th of the salary of their regular counterparts” as highlighted by “The Naga Raising.” Though such disparities are seen in every department between contractual and regulars, the plight especially of the nurses on contract calls for consideration of an increase in their salaries according to rules laid in the books.
With inadequate health infrastructure in the State, testified by the ‘Full’ status of Dimapur COVID-19 hospital, one can only hope that the worst don’t happen. As of now, there is only a thin layer between ‘safety’ and ‘Community spread.’ And this call for strict adherence of Standard Operating Procedures especially by the returnees while at quarantine centres and subsequently Home quarantine. The fact that almost all those who tested positive are asymptomatic patients calls for due caution at all districts quarantine centres. The good thing of their easier chance of recovery is negated by a more vulnerable community spread beyond the ‘walls’ of the quarantine centres. Community spread is the last thing that’s wanted in this current pandemic. However, the challenge is to be prepared if it happens because problems will get manifold beyond human means and resources as is experienced in other states of India and in other countries. Like for example, Brazil has stopped recording the increase in the number of cases as well as deaths.
Another challenge is to boost the recovery rate which can only be done by way of enhancing the number of tests which would enable early treatment of those tested positive, so also separation of the positives and negatives. It has been some days since there is report of recovery after the first 8 recoveries reported. Further. Bridging the time gap between the first and second test would also ensure a boost in the number of recovery rates.
Finally, another challenge will be raising unemployment problems. Of the returnees the salaried workers must have been forced to leave their jobs. Unless there are avenues here in Nagaland that suit their skills, it would only add to the woes of rising unemployment issues in Nagaland.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial to the Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
