Thursday 28 Mar 2024

Rhetoric on Covid, the real questions went unanswered

| JANUARY 29, 2021, 12:52 AM IST

The ongoing Legislative Assembly witnessed an animated debate on Covid management and vaccination on Wednesday, with the Opposition taking the government into flashback mode, and casting doubts over its ambitious drive. On the flip side, senior members of the cabinet, including Mauvin Godinho made an impassionate plea to respect the efforts of the political leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the teams of researchers and medical experts behind the launch of the world’s biggest vaccination drive.

While the Opposition engaged in rhetoric and a slugfest against the ruling dispensation, it failed to raise crucial points that continue to cast a shadow over the Covid battle. The arrival of vaccination is, by all means, a welcome relief to citizens, but the government’s failure to address the hesitancy wasn’t questioned. The argument among the Opposition that legislators should first be given a jab to build confidence among people in itself explains the story.

In fact, by aimlessly hitting on Covid failures of the first few months, and highlighting the political undertones it had, an opportunity to bring out some critical issues that needed urgent redressal went abegging. The Opposition failed to raise questions on why senior doctors and medical staff are reluctant to take the shots despite they facing the risks by being at the forefront of the Covid fight. If the medical fraternity cannot vouch for the vaccine, who else could?

The Opposition also failed to nail the health ministry on the line of treatment it is following in critical cases and the over-dependence on plasma. The recent January 25, 2021 guidelines, an 81-page document, released by the World Health Organization titled Clinical management of Covid-19: Living guidance doesn't recommend Remdesivir. Is the State health ministry following the WHO guidelines in toto, or is there a trial-and-error still method being followed? Are patients or their families informed about the side-effects and possible consequences of medicines? Why are medical experts and researchers not in the forefront, and why are political leaders still assuming the role of doctors?

Yes, the credit for the research behind the vaccines, and efforts put in by medical experts in India has to be respected. The government has to step up and take positive measures to win the confidence of people. Goa needs medical experts talking on Covid, vaccination, dos and don'ts. We don't want politicians prescribing who should take the jab, and who should not. State politicos are not in a position to debate the safety of Covaxin, and lecture on scenarios across the world. We cannot allow shallow arguments of the past overshadow the present.

For the sheer fact that a vaccine has arrived, doesn't mean that the entire focus should shift. The Covid fight is still not over, and there are common citizens who continue to battle for their lives. Goa has lost some famous young personalities to Covid in the past few months. Their deaths have cast a shadow and many questions have gone unanswered. It’s time we realize that there’s a long way to go.

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