Why write this when everybody is aware of it? I want to publicly hang my head with shame for belonging to a society with such low morality. My words may seem harsh and unacceptable, but I can’t shy away from this dreadful truth.
The Coronavirus made life difficult for the world in the last 18 months. Everyone was suffering physically, mentally, psychologically, and economically, to cite a few areas. The Curse of the Corona has left most of us shattered. Unfortunately, instead of helping our suffering countrymen, many are profiting from the epidemic at their expense.
The distraught COVID patients and their attendants are running from pillar to post to get hospital beds. They pay considerable amounts to make-shift ambulances and auto-rickshaws with oxygen cylinders for their rendezvous to hunt a hospital bed. Desperate patients have no option but to shove out large sums demanded by these providers. There are also unconfirmed reports about touts charging phenomenal sums to arrange hospital beds for patients. Hospitals are not providing services commensurate to the tariff levied. The hotels roped in are no better and just providing accommodation and some poor quality food.
The above story is only about a small part of the loot. Pharmacies are raking in unbelievable profits. Everything has been made scarce (including non-COVID medication). The over-charging is ascribed to the failure of the supply chain. All drugs are available only on the black market. Remdesivir, Favipiravir, steroids, Tocilizumab, and now Amphotericin B are mirages. Even common medications like Doxycycline, Ivermectin, Azithromycin, and Vitamin C disappeared from the shelves. Pulse oximeters, oxygen cylinders, and oxygen concentrators are being sold at phenomenal rates. Donors and facilitators are fleecing desperate patient attendants to arrange convalescent plasma. Even in death, these unscrupulous elements are not sparing the tragedy struck families and charging exorbitant rates for hearse vans and even the timber for the cremation of the body. It is depressing to even talk about other measures to loot and the widespread extent of profiteering.
It is distressing that the national character of our countrymen has stooped so low that they want to fleece their fellow humans. Even animals come to help their fellows in need. How can people be so inhuman as to make a profit from tragedy? Making a profit from another’s tragedy reflects very poorly on the upbringing of these rogues. We clap and celebrate our frontline workers and soldiers to show our national pride. Where is that nationalism to support your fellow countrymen in this crisis? The nationalism displayed is obviously just a farce.
Unfortunately, this profiteering is being indirectly promoted by the administration and politicians. They never looked at allotting beds and transporting patients to hospitals/isolation centers but left the patients to fend for themselves, allowing unscrupulous elements to take advantage. They ignored the scarcity of drugs, and let hoarders flourish, and thereby promoted inflation of the retail prices. If any action was taken to streamline drug and oxygen supply, it was too late. Politicians are hoarding oxygen and drugs to get brownie points from their voters. One wonders how they had stocks of medicines when the pharmacies were without supply. The high and mighty are very conveniently keeping their eyes closed.
Some good samaritans have tried to mitigate the sufferings of the affected by supplying food, logistics, and support. Some NGOs have made positive efforts to set up helplines, support centers, and COVID care centers. However, the contributions of this minority can’t absolve the majority of the crime against humanity. Citizens need to wake up, be more responsible, and humane.
Written By: By Dr Mukul Kapoor, Director, Department of Anesthesia, Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket, New Delhi.
Tags: #Covid19, #Covid19pandemic, #Covid19medication, #Dr MukulKapoor, #Blackmarketeering, #Covid19helplines, #Clicktyclick.Blogspot.com
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That would be expecting too much, especially when the top leadership of the country shows nil responsibility, does not answer questions or hides from media, where the home minister does everything other than managing the home affairs of the country, where the Finance Minister continually damages the finances of the country .. And on the very top.. The president sits blindfolded like Dhritarashtra.. In such a hell of affairs, the general public can only be expected to become and behave like.. dogs eating dogs..
Mukul, you touched the raw nerve. There is no humanity visible & the irony is that nobody is even allowed to speak about it. They talk about patriotism & even invoke the same to stay in power but where is it seen in their actions. I am ashamed of the Indian bureaucracy because they have always served for the vested interests & the political masters rather than the people of this country. We talk about making long strides in terms of progress but this dismal state as described by you is the dismal state of affairs but then who seems to care? No one, literally? Where is the conscience of the people? Is it sold for the profits? Even in our class of '79 St. Anselm's group, people are even averse to mention about the dark reality so much so that they call any such column unpatriotic & exit the group.