Capital feels the heat
Delhi's Covid-19 graph is a matter of grave concern. The Capital recorded a new high of 1,877 cases and 101 deaths in 24 hours. The total caseload now hovers around 35,000 with more than 20,000 active cases. The daily rise appears to be on track to match the grim projection of 5.5 lakh cases that was revealed in the Delhi Disaster Management Authority meeting this week. These bleak figures are not the sole source of concern as the Capital is marred with more issues. At a press conference, heads of the three municipal corporations of Delhi claimed that they have facilitated funerals of 2,098 confirmed Covid-19 cases against Delhi government's 1,085. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation alone claims 1,080 deaths in its jurisdiction. Though the Delhi government put forth the Death Audit Committee's impartial assessment that pegs the figure at 1,085, such a fallout between public authorities over the death toll makes the battle against the pandemic tougher. Besides disagreement over the death toll, Delhi is also facing delays in testing and denial of admission in hospitals. An NHRC team inspected the Lok Nayak Hospital — a dedicated Covid-19 facility — to enquire into allegations of non-admission of Covid-19 patients. The visit by NHRC team was necessitated also because several accounts were reported of patients not getting beds in the Capital. While some accounts make the news, several many remain unheard. Adding to the adversity is the non-payment of salaries to resident doctors of hospitals regarding which the Delhi Medical Association wrote to the Union Home Minister. Marred with challenges across fronts, it is time for the Delhi government as well as the Centre to jointly steer the Capital out of the troubled waters. At this pace, as the Delhi High Court cited on Thursday, 'Delhi appears to be fast heading towards becoming the Corona Capital of the country'.
The exponential rise in cases and deaths denotes the urgent need for an executive review of the Capital's relaxations. More so, the healthcare infrastructure needs to be ramped up. This means the availability of more isolation beds, more oxygen beds and ventilators. The Delhi High Court's Thursday order allowing all equipped private hospitals to conduct Covid-19 tests is also a step in the right direction as collectively, government and private labs can significantly expedite the testing pace. Lieutenant Governor's order requiring Delhi hospitals to display availability of beds, charges for rooms or beds and contact details on a LED screen outside the hospital will increase transparency. The increasing pressure on Delhi's medical infrastructure begs for a review of the relaxations that have been offered in this unlockdown phase. Optional activities contributing less to the economic wheel should be curbed. As per a list released by the government, there are 244 containment zones in the Capital which calls for stringent executive measures to restrain public movement. Identifying and preparing stadiums, community centres, etc., as makeshift hospitals are also required given the incessantly rising requirement of isolation beds. If a grim projection has been drawn, maximum efforts must be taken to not realise the same. The situation also demands a unified response from governments and political parties working in tandem to produce a conducive environment for fighting the virus, not aggravating the situation with their differences. Redirecting all resources to adequately combat the situation is the need of the hour. A good recovery rate and no community transmission — as mandated by ICMR — are good indicators in this adversity but the same should not contribute to any complacency. Continuously providing the medical infrastructure the much-needed push is in the country's interest not just for this current predicament but in the long run as well.
