Malaria, ZIKA and Health system? MDG SDG or what?

Health is a major issue for mankind. Health is wealth is the common saying. But what mankind is doing for health, and what for improving Health system?

Recently on TV saw news about Malaria, ZIKA virus.

We were already struggling with highest killer of our times the Malaria, then Dengue and Chikengunia came out of blue. Now this deadly virus ZIKA has come, it forced The stalwart of motor company TATA motors to rename their vehicle as was reported in TV news. Earlier people were dying with TB, pneumonia, cholera plague etc. I mean they were common names or known to everyone. But now as science is progressing we are made aware of more and more new names of DEVILS.

SriLanka has been now made free of Malaria. Is it possible? Seems so as the TV news says.

Few steps I think they have taken

Identify the areas/spots with high incidence of Malaria.

Mobile Malaria clinic/units established.

Even suspected cases are screened and treatment starts on spot.

Together with other usual actions such as fuming, spray, cleaning etc.

Can we replicate it in India?

National Vector Borne disease control scheme was implemented across nation.

Lots of methods have been utilized. Even bio-control was also there? If, I am correct? A fish is also introduced in the fresh water ponds which control the mosquito larvae.

But now thing is how malaria spreads?

Nowdays Rural/Urban divide is no more atleast for Malaria and other vector borne diseases. In past the movement of communities was not frequent or large thus chances of spread were not there. Thus few diseases remained in those pockets. As recently we have seen in China when a village or one area was fully cordoned off from outside world. It was to curtail the spread of flu like disease.

In India also suspected patients were kept in quarantined ward of Hospital.

As is saw on TV people were blaming Govt and local agencies for inaction.

But TV had shown those areas also where high rise apartments and residential colonies are having surroundings full of stagnating water. Mosquito larvae survive in those water spots.

Community Participation is must in all such cases. Even WHO definition of Health or Healthy includes healthy surrounding or neighbourhood.

In a democratic country like India anything works differently and difficult.

People clean their rooms but throw garbage outside from their windows or doors on to the streets. Who will clean street which is situated in front of their houses?

Fuming/Spraying are the tools to kill mosquitos. But when citizens blame Govt or local self govt bodies like Municipality etc. for not doing anything then in same voice they don’t talk or think whether they have given/paid their tax or fees or sanitary charges, conservancy charges etc to their local bodies? How local bodies will incur expenditure on fuming/spraying?

I even think that why not every citizen makes their habit to DONATE some money to their local bodies every now and then? Whatever the small contribution it may be? But as a member if Mohala committees, Gram Sabha, and other forums every citizen has their say in SOCIAL AUDIT. It sound easy in writing, but in implementing it is difficult. But at least we can try?

I had a fight with a worker who worked in the Filaria section. He argued with me that why you are not sanctioning the Patient care allowance? To that I asked how come you are eligible to Patient care allowance. He replied we are working in fields and spraying etc is done by the staff to protect people from filarial and malaria. I then asked how many pockets you have identified on inspection having malaria or filarial vectors or larvae or patients? To that he started fighting with me. Where is could have complained? I am weak in such situations. I belong to poor background we don’t have any confidence or support to complain against anybody- it has become a trait in our genes.

But I was surprised that how this PCA was utilized? It is given to the workers doing patient care in Hospitals. How can I give it to those who work in field and I should not write it here but truth is no one does inspection in true spirit. But they were fighting with me for the patient care allowance. After that lots of conspiracy was against me so that I can fall in net of law? How in Government we work it is hard to imagine. How can I save my govt job?

Do you know what happened with one noodle brand? Why suddenly after so many years it was caught? Inspection of food inspectors, drug inspectors etc is the main reason behind this scam? Our health system needs improvement. But how can we improve it? Until and unless we the people do not improve ourselves there cannot be any improvement. What Government alone can do anything?

When I needed ambulance in city in the middle of night, I was told it will be late. I said how much, please do something? They replied may be half hour. First they have to be told exact location of my house. They said come out so that we can spot you. But yes that day God saved me and Ambulance arrived even late, as I waited on the side of road siting under soft shower, my wife and my son in attendance in street on that midnight. I am grateful to my wife and son.

But thing is people in many departments do not function. Have you heard that boy in Kanpur died. It is only poverty and ignorance which is the cause. The well to do families go with many people with them and show their might with guns and bad language, then only the people working in some department immediately start functioning.

I went to hospital, it was a referral hospital for ultrasound, they told me to come after one month and gave me date. Is it possible? That with such type of health system we are dreaming to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, MDG etc etc