14th August 2017
14 August 2017
Musings......
Gorakhpur gets its name from renounced ascetic 'Gorakshnath', who was an eminent profounder saint of ' Nath Sampradaya'. A famous shrine Gorakhnath was built in his honour here.
Gorakhpur was part of the famous kingdom of Koshal, one of sixteen mahajanpadas in 6th century BC. It has its own historical and cultural significance being closely associated with the Great Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavir and the famous saint Kabir who though was born in Varanasi, used to work in Maghar, Gorakhpur.
The historic CHAURI CHAURA incident of 4th Feb 1922 which was a turning point in India's freedom struggle took place here. Enraged at the inhuman barbaric atrocities of the police the volunteers burnt down the Chauri-Chaura Police station, prompting Gandhiji to withdraw the Non- Cooperation movement launched in 1920.
Bordering Nepal in the north-eastern part of UP, Gorakhpur today is one of the most backward districts of India.
This region is endemic to Japanese Encephalitis and every year multiple deaths are reported.
The world woke last Saturday to the news that numerous infants had died in BRD Medical College due to lack of oxygen supply. Apparently oxygen supply to the hospital was cutoff over non-payment of dues. The death count as of the day this is being written is 73 and counting.
BRD Medical college is the biggest tertiary centre in that region which attracts patients even from neighbouring Bihar and Nepal. According to reports the load on doctors here is higher than any other government hospital in India.
The way the Yogi Adityanath Government at the state and Modi government at the centre handled their emergency situation was horrifying.
First the CM delayed in responding to the issue. Then when he ultimately came forward, he was in denial putting the reason for these death as Japanese Encephalitis. Such insensitively on the part of the Government is unacceptable.
Central Health Minister visited the hospital a day too late. Death counts are going on increasing and the state administration seems to be in no mood to act responsibly.
Playing politics at time of adversity is the last thing needed here.
Our Prime Minister who otherwise takes to Twitter for every other event from forest fires in Portugal to military jet crash in Russia has kept silence on this matter. I guess the death of 73 infants in his own country is not matter enough to get response from our PM. As they say human lives won't fetch votes.
Not surprising from a PM who's ideology and politics puts the life of a cow as more important to that of humans.
The scenes from the hospital were heart wrenching to say the least. Infant dead bodies being carried by their grieving parents due to lack of ambulances. A doctor who paid from his own purse to provide Oxygen cylinder being suspended. Grieving parents being advised by authorities not to speak to the media.
To add insult to injury the response of the ruling party president comes in. To quote 'congress ka kaam he isteefa mangna. Itne bade desh mein bahuth sare haadse hue, pahle bar aisa haadsa nahi hua he'. What sort of comment is this. Highly irresponsible and irreverent towards all those children who succumbed to negligence. It is we who are to blame- after all the people gets the government that it deserves.
The need of the hour is not mudslinging and politics. The need is urgent action on the part of administration. Immediate medical help provided to the patients. More doctors to be provided to BRD Medical college to meet the needs. Funds allocated to provide whatever needed so that no more lives are lost to negligence. And lastly, to hold whomsoever responsible for the tragedy.
In the long term what is needed is a comprehensive overhaul of the Medical system in India. If our PM wants to create a new India by 2022 as he promises, he should start with healthcare.
Providing good healthcare facilities is the first step towards a modern India. Let us hope that such tragedies never occur again, the lesson is learnt and the Governments gets up from its slumber to act before apocalypse.
Food for thought........
RC
Musings......
Gorakhpur gets its name from renounced ascetic 'Gorakshnath', who was an eminent profounder saint of ' Nath Sampradaya'. A famous shrine Gorakhnath was built in his honour here.
Gorakhpur was part of the famous kingdom of Koshal, one of sixteen mahajanpadas in 6th century BC. It has its own historical and cultural significance being closely associated with the Great Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavir and the famous saint Kabir who though was born in Varanasi, used to work in Maghar, Gorakhpur.
The historic CHAURI CHAURA incident of 4th Feb 1922 which was a turning point in India's freedom struggle took place here. Enraged at the inhuman barbaric atrocities of the police the volunteers burnt down the Chauri-Chaura Police station, prompting Gandhiji to withdraw the Non- Cooperation movement launched in 1920.
Bordering Nepal in the north-eastern part of UP, Gorakhpur today is one of the most backward districts of India.
This region is endemic to Japanese Encephalitis and every year multiple deaths are reported.
The world woke last Saturday to the news that numerous infants had died in BRD Medical College due to lack of oxygen supply. Apparently oxygen supply to the hospital was cutoff over non-payment of dues. The death count as of the day this is being written is 73 and counting.
BRD Medical college is the biggest tertiary centre in that region which attracts patients even from neighbouring Bihar and Nepal. According to reports the load on doctors here is higher than any other government hospital in India.
The way the Yogi Adityanath Government at the state and Modi government at the centre handled their emergency situation was horrifying.
First the CM delayed in responding to the issue. Then when he ultimately came forward, he was in denial putting the reason for these death as Japanese Encephalitis. Such insensitively on the part of the Government is unacceptable.
Central Health Minister visited the hospital a day too late. Death counts are going on increasing and the state administration seems to be in no mood to act responsibly.
Playing politics at time of adversity is the last thing needed here.
Our Prime Minister who otherwise takes to Twitter for every other event from forest fires in Portugal to military jet crash in Russia has kept silence on this matter. I guess the death of 73 infants in his own country is not matter enough to get response from our PM. As they say human lives won't fetch votes.
Not surprising from a PM who's ideology and politics puts the life of a cow as more important to that of humans.
The scenes from the hospital were heart wrenching to say the least. Infant dead bodies being carried by their grieving parents due to lack of ambulances. A doctor who paid from his own purse to provide Oxygen cylinder being suspended. Grieving parents being advised by authorities not to speak to the media.
To add insult to injury the response of the ruling party president comes in. To quote 'congress ka kaam he isteefa mangna. Itne bade desh mein bahuth sare haadse hue, pahle bar aisa haadsa nahi hua he'. What sort of comment is this. Highly irresponsible and irreverent towards all those children who succumbed to negligence. It is we who are to blame- after all the people gets the government that it deserves.
The need of the hour is not mudslinging and politics. The need is urgent action on the part of administration. Immediate medical help provided to the patients. More doctors to be provided to BRD Medical college to meet the needs. Funds allocated to provide whatever needed so that no more lives are lost to negligence. And lastly, to hold whomsoever responsible for the tragedy.
In the long term what is needed is a comprehensive overhaul of the Medical system in India. If our PM wants to create a new India by 2022 as he promises, he should start with healthcare.
Providing good healthcare facilities is the first step towards a modern India. Let us hope that such tragedies never occur again, the lesson is learnt and the Governments gets up from its slumber to act before apocalypse.
Food for thought........
RC
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