Why Lancet Editorial Slamming Modi Govt on COVID19 may prove torch-bearer to fight pandemic

The medical periodical in its thought-provoking editorial has held two important national events –Kumbh at Haridwar and Political rallies in West Bengal – as the super spreader for COVID 19 infection spread.  

The top medical and scientific journal of the world – Lancet – has slammed Modi government for mishandling the Covid19 crisis. In a scathing editorial of the magazine, criticized the way it has handled the COVID19 pandemic in India, using the term ‘’presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe’ and ‘Inexcusable actions’ action the pandemic.

Lancet has estimated the India may witness around 1 million deaths from COVID-19 by Aug 1. The medical journal has said that the national task force on COVID19 had not met in the month that is beyond one’s imagination. The medical periodical in its thought-provoking editorial has held two important national events –Kumbh at Haridwar and Political rallies in West Bengal – as the super spreader for COVID 19 infection spread.  

Let’s recall the early March of the year when Health Minster Dr Harsh Vardhan declared that India was in the “endgame” of the epidemic.  Lancet says that the Modi Government was creating an impression that India has registered a victory over the corona despite of second COVID wave and new strains.  “Modelling suggested falsely that India had reached herd immunity, encouraging complacency and insufficient preparation, but a serosurvey by the Indian Council of Medical Research in January suggested that only 21% of the population had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2,” said Lancet.

The Lancet’s thought-provoking editorial slams the government for ignoring warnings of a second wave, encouraging complacency, and failing to be transparent on Covid-19 data. The editorial also makes an attack for hiding genuine data of COVID deaths and infection across the nation. The Lancet terms the Prime Minister Modi’s response to the Covid crisis management as ‘inexcusable’. According to the Lancet editorial, India “squandered its early successes” in controlling Covid-19. The editorial says ‘Modi’s actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable’.

Undoubtedly, the government has failed in its fight against the pandemic and Indians have paid heavy prices. But, the point is where Indians are in the midway of this fight against COVID19. The oxygen battling India pours heartfelt emotions on twitter and other social media where the government also wants to make control. The editorial noted that until April, the government’s Covid-19 taskforce had not met in months. Lancet urged the govt to ‘own up to its mistakes, provide responsible leadership and transparency and implement a public health response that has science at its heart’. . Pulling up the Modi govt for stifling removing criticism on Twitter, Lancet said that Centre preferred holding super spreader events (Maha Kumbh & political rallies), rather than controlling the pandemic. The journal also told that the govt must publish accurate data in a timely manner, and forthrightly explain to the public what is happening, including a nationwide lockdown.