Samhita Barooah
Research, Education, Writing
COVID-19 has played mind games for many people. Elderly people are forced to get vaccinated and all those having co morbidities are assigned to get vaccinated. Scientifically vaccines are a trial and error process which cannot be fully guaranteed against the virus. People are getting diverse symptoms after vaccination and making sure that they are part of the herds. Some people are paying for their vaccines and getting the shots for large sums of money and they are feeling assured that they do not have COVID. Others are queuing up or making efforts to queue up through the online systems. Everyone seems to be in a mad rush to get the priority in the name of their job profiles, designations, affiliations, class, caste, tribe and diversity affiliations to get that extra favour in getting the vaccines. Social service institutions are building their clout through their influence and making sure that their kith and kin are vaccinated at the earliest. If you are vaccinated you are within the system if not either you are in the isolated masses or in the rebelling elites who can afford to be sick. If you are in the middle of nowhere then you are lost in the horizon. Trying to fight equity battles, ensuring nobody gets left behind or nobody is harmed in any way.
In all circumstances, people have their right to self determination to access healthcare which they feel most confident about. Only then actual healing and effectiveness of healthcare services will take place. Vaccination for COVID-19 has become a battleground for altruism, show of clout in getting a slot, elitist sport of hitting the lottery in getting a slot. If India is self-sufficient in vaccination then why are Indians whose votes and opinions decide the fate of politics getting last priority in getting the best possible vaccines available in the world. Make in India flagships should have been used to incentivise the best options from around the world to be in India. Are we as a nation hiding our incapacities of creating a transnational goodwill and ease of trade facilities in a pandemic world by being unnecessarily arrogant about a substandard Made in India tag? Will blindfolded patriotism save our lives from a cureless rampant virus? Why should there be variations of vaccines in the world which safeguards a few and jeopardises millions in multiple ways? People with green cards and transnational citizenship gets free access to the best vaccine shots in the current world order. But people languishing in poverty, false imprisonment, institutionalised care, confinement due to statelessness and discrimination does not have choice of free and best option for vaccination. Are we as a nation of innovation failing our own communities, people, institutions of trust and expertise in our fight against the deadly virus?
Why can't state investments be done more in procuring, accessing and functionalising the best options of the world of vaccines to every person in India equitably? How many more sacrifices will be needed for lack of structural and systemic support services? Are tax payers, leaders in politics, law, healthcare, defence, administration, academia, IT, corporate sectors and any such formal employment sector eligible for best forms of vaccination? All other marginalised, disputed, dissenting, deprived sections will be left with ineffective variations of the vaccines or get the blame of being super spreaders. Nowadays whenever the rich, famous and affluent people are dying after vaccination and affordable confinement, the cause of getting COVID goes to the support staff, domestic workers, security staff and cleaning staff. This is happening due to the disparity of accessibility, resources and affordability of the best vaccination options for a diverse country like India. Trust factors in certified authorities are shrinking with variations every year in the disease outbreak, spread and stigma attached to isolation barriers. People in an adjustable country like India are adjusting to many discrepancies in the name of ideologies, belief systems and false egos of highest order. At this stage we need global solidarity, transparency and confluence of healing practices which are progressive to counter a pandemic. Blaming the cause syndrome and national competition in proving one's vaccine effectiveness through price bargains and politics will further doom humanity. Global cooperation, hand holding support in regenerating and rebuilding fractured people, families, communities, institutions and nations will be much more relevant. All kinds of situated practices of healthcare promotion, preventive measures and curative treatment practices needs to be shared in the current context. Saving lives needs to be the priority keeping aside all differences.
