Health
India’s COVID-19 death toll now 50,000
India’s official coronavirus death toll soared past 50,000 on Monday as the pandemic rages through smaller cities and rural areas where health care is feeble and stigmatisation rife.
Many experts say the real numbers may be far higher due to low testing rates and because deaths are often not properly recorded in the vast and impoverished nation of 1.3 billion people.
India last week overtook Britain with the world’s fourth-highest number of fatalities, behind the United States, Brazil and Mexico, and as of Monday had recorded 50,921 deaths, according to the health ministry.
With some of the world’s biggest megacities and slums, India is already the third-most infected nation behind the US and Brazil with 2.65 million infections.
Despite the rising death toll, the health ministry said on Sunday that India’s virus mortality rate of 1.92 percent was “one of the lowest globally”.
“Successful implementation of testing aggressively, tracking comprehensively and treating efficiently through a plethora of measures have contributed to the existing high level of recoveries,” the ministry said.
According to tracking website Worldometer, the United States, with 170,000 deaths, has a death rate of 3.11 percent while Brazil, with almost 110,000 fatalities, sees 3.22 percent of those who test positive die.
According to the Indian health ministry, the US “crossed 50,000 deaths in 23 days, Brazil in 95 days and Mexico in 141 days. India took 156 days to reach this national figure.”
Possible reasons that have been suggested include India’s relatively young population, its climate and greater exposure to pathogens that cause tuberculosis than elsewhere.
But experts say India’s testing rates per million inhabitants are far lower than other countries, and that too few deaths are properly recorded — even in normal times.
“(A) couple of studies have indicated that… only one in four deaths is certified and a cause of death is established,” Lalit Kant, former head of epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research, told AFP.
In addition, many of the tests being done — up to 30 percent nationally — are the less reliable rapid antigen tests where “false negatives” can be reported in up to half of cases, according to media reports.
Lockdown misery
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government imposed in March one of the world’s strictest lockdowns.
It dealt a heavy blow to Asia’s third-biggest economy and caused misery for the country’s poor, with tens of millions of migrant workers left jobless almost overnight.
Vast numbers trudged back penniless to their home villages from cities including New Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, many of them on foot. Some died on the way.
The lockdown has since been steadily eased but many sectors complain that they are severely short of workers.
State and local governments across the country have meanwhile reimposed lockdown measures as the virus has spread to smaller cities and rural areas, where around 70 percent of Indians live.
In many rural regions however, anecdotal evidence suggests that measures to stop the spread such as masks and distancing are widely ignored.
In addition, a lack of public awareness has contributed to those with the virus being ostracised, making people more reluctant to get tested.
Health care facilities outside the major cities are also severely stretched.
“In smaller cities and towns and rural areas tests of COVID-19 may not be available,” Lalit said.
“Patients with COVID-like symptoms are often turned away from heath care facilities, some may die without a test being done.”
AFP
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered the immediate closure of the Gomboru drug market in Maiduguri following severe flooding that submerged the area and contaminated the drugs sold within the market.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, NAFDAC disclosed that the decision was made after reports surfaced that contaminated drugs, which had been washed and sun-dried for resale, were being sold at the market.
“After the recent flooding in Maiduguri that submerged the Gomboru drug market where contaminated drugs were washed and sun-dried for resale, the @DGatNAFDAC ordered the immediate closure of the market to conduct a thorough shop-to-shop removal of these compromised drugs,” the agency wrote.
The flooding, which ravaged Maiduguri, was triggered by the rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the city.
The floodwaters claimed at least 30 lives and displaced 400,000 residents, leaving large parts of the city and surrounding areas in devastation.
NAFDAC’s intervention is aimed at safeguarding public health by preventing the sale and consumption of contaminated drugs.
The agency has mobilized teams to inspect the market and ensure the removal of all compromised pharmaceutical products.
Engr. Aderemi Oseni, Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State has expressed deep concern following the recent outbreak of cholera cases in the state.
Cholera, a highly contagious bacterial infection transmitted through contaminated water and food, poses significant health risks, particularly in densely populated areas with inadequate sanitation.
Oseni urged residents of Oyo State, especially those in his constituency, to prioritise hygiene practices and strictly adhere to recommended safety measures, emphasising the critical importance of proactive measures to halt the disease’s spread.
In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan, the state capital, the lawmaker underscored the necessity of maintaining clean water sources and practicing proper sanitation methods.
“Cholera outbreaks can be significantly reduced if we all take responsibility for our hygiene habits and ensure our surroundings are clean,” he stated.
The APC chieftain also stressed the urgency of seeking prompt medical attention at the first signs of symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, which are characteristic of cholera.
“Early detection and treatment are crucial in combating cholera and preventing its spread. Access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation are fundamental rights that must be upheld, especially during health crises like this,” he asserted.
Oseni further called for unity and collective action in combating the cholera outbreak.
He expressed confidence that through concerted efforts and vigilant adherence to preventive measures, communities can contain and ultimately overcome this challenging public health issue.
“By working together, maintaining vigilance, and prioritising hygiene practices, we can effectively mitigate the impact of cholera on our communities,” the lawmaker concluded.
Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State have initiated a 14-day warning strike, as confirmed by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The strike action, led by the association’s President, John Matthew, highlights various grievances, notably the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to new members.
Matthew added that the strike also addresses the non-payment of palliative to House Officers since February, the failure to disburse the February Hazard Allowance despite prior assurances from the state government, and the ongoing shortage of staff due to resignations.
Matthew lamented the drastic decrease in resident doctors, citing a decrease from 150 doctors to a mere 26 in recent months.
In response to the situation, he urged management to prioritise the full payment of arrears owed to members, immediate payment of the February 2024 palliative to house officers, and prompt disbursement of the February hazard allowance.
The association further called for urgent measures to address the critical shortage of clinical manpower within the institution.
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