Act now, no time to waste

A few days ago when I had written that there were difficult days up ahead, I had a faint hope that maybe things wouldn’t be so bad, the disaster would veer off like a cyclone often does. I had hoped that Bangladesh would miraculously escape the disaster. I had also hoped that rapid government and non-government initiatives would be taken and we would get away lightly and that my foreboding would prove to be wrong. But, my hope was misplaced and it looks like we are hurtling towards a dire situation.

South Korean experience

After coronavirus broke out in China’s Wuhan province in December last year, in January the Chinese disseminated the COVID-19 genetic sequence. The other countries of the world began to prepare themselves and South Korea was among those that managed to deal with the situation relatively better. The main strategy of the country was transparency, openness and involving as well as informing the people. South Korea’s strategy has been praised and emulated in several countries. In a television interview, South Korea’s foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha said that they first placed importance on testing. That is why from January the government contacted research institutions and pharmaceutical companies to manufacture the required reagents and equipment. A total of 20,000 tests were conducted a day, and so far 268,000 tests had been carried out. That made it possible to quickly isolate and treat those who were infected. As a result, South Korea has managed to bring the number of newly infected patients below the already infected ones and kept the death rate to the minimum. And they managed to do all this while keeping the economy running and without any lockdown as in Europe.

In Bangladesh

Meantime in our country, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) , with its limited capacity, has been given an extremely limited number of testing kits to test a huge population. Due to the failure to isolate and test people coming from abroad as well as those with whom they had come into contact, as well as the limited number of tests being carried out, the number of infected persons is increasing by the day and deaths are also taking place.

It is also felt that due to the lack of testing, the reported number of cases and deaths may not be accurate. A description given by a boy about his father’s coronavirus infection, treatment and death, is heartbreaking. The physicians speak of the risks that they are taking in absence of any personal protective equipment. A hospital director said that due to paucity of resources they were not even being able to give masks to everyone. Unfortunately, the physician was withdrawn for revealing the truth. Unless the trust of the physicians and health workers can be gained, it will not be possible to stand up against this deadly virus.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) sought permission to manufacture testing kits and, though it took some time, the drug administration finally gave its preliminary clearance and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued a tax exemption of the import of the required raw materials and equipment. In other countries these matters were sorted out in February. Nevertheless, despite the delay, we must thank the drug administration and NBR.

Present challenges

There are five challenges facing us now:

1. As in other countries, in order to tackle the crisis the authorities must follow a transparent and open strategy and also keep the public informed and involved. The statements made by the ministers so far and the IECDR briefings have not been helpful at all.

2. Coronavirus testing kits must be imported and manufactured in the shortest time possible.

3. Self-quarantine of those coming from abroad and those coming into contact with them must be ensured in order to contain the spread of the virus. They all must be tested and those who are infected must be treated accordingly.

4. Protective gowns, masks, gloves and goggles must be ensured for the physicians and number of health workers as well as ICUs, ventilators and such facilities for the hospitals which also need to be expanded.

5. Free food and financial assistance must be provided to those whose daily earnings have come to a halt, such as rickshaw-pullers, day labourers, small traders and such persons, as well as their families.

As it is, even in developed countries like the US and Canada, a shortage of ventilators has emerged in the fight against coronavirus. These are expensive machines. Elon Musk, the proprietor of one of the world’s largest medical equipment manufacturing companies Medtronic, has taken initiative to double the production of ventilators. Incidentally, the Medtronic CEO is a Bangladeshi-American Omar Ishrak. The government here should contact them immediately.

Now is the time

The actions mentioned above should have been taken long ago. There is not a moment to waste. The government and the private sector must come forward to prevent the spread of the virus and ensure treatment of those affected. All private hospitals must be given permission to test and treat the patients. In public interests, the results of the tests, the number of infected and the number of those cured must be made public through the health ministry.

Government in the frontline

It is the government that must remain in the frontline in the fight against coronavirus. There must be large allocations for the purpose. A Tk 200 billion fund must be created for the purpose, including for the post-coronavirus measures. The prime minister, albeit late, declared an incentive package to tackle coronavirus. This includes Tk 50 billion for the readymade garments sector. This package didn’t come as a surprise, given that the government itself has many garment industrialists in its ranks. It was said that this fund was specifically for the payment of the workers only, but it was not said how it would be ensured that the funds were actually used for the purpose.

We hope there will be an exigency package for the rickshaw-pullers, small and informal traders, the day labourers and the other poor people. A ‘return home’ programme was announced, but nothing was said about any specific allocation in this regard.

What is most shocking is that there is no special allocation for the health sector in the fight against coronavirus. There is need for huge funds for personal protective equipment for the physicians and health workers, for test kits, new ICUs, ventilators, hospital equipment and so on. The funds must not only be allocated, but it also must be ensured that they are utilized properly.

Unwarranted alternative

The only other alternative before us is to allow the virus to spread naturally. By this method of hard immunity, the virus will stop spreading after 60 to 70 per cent of the population is affected. But that will mean massive financial and social losses as well as loss of lives. The nation will not forgive us.

We hope that we never have to face that alternative. We will win this war as we did our struggle for independence. This is a struggle for survival. We must win this war.

* Muhammad Fouzul Kabir is a former secretary. This piece appeared in the print edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir