Gorakhpur tragedy: A case of corruption or sanitation

Gorakhpur Tragedy: A case of corruption or sanitation?

Uttar Pradesh, the land of politics, is again in the news and this time not for its superstar CM Yogi Adityanath but because of the tragedy which recently captured the headlines of most of the newspapers and news channel and has left the Prime Minister of India red faced before the 71st Independence Day of India. But, is it a case of corruption or sanitation?

CASE 1: Corruption at BRD Hospital, Gorakhpur

According to the CAG report of June 2017, it was found that the BRD hospital lacks the basic infrastructure to accommodate the needs of the patients and their family. The hole in the infrastructure is one of the reasons which have been linked with the Gorakhpur tragedy. The untrained staff is also the reason that the infrastructure, even if it is present, has not been used.

According to the report, BRD parked a major fund of 27.4 crores in the Lucknow’s Kasturba Gandhi Medical Unit (Is previous government responsible for it?), which is a violation of the rules, resulting in the delay of realization of the funds for infrastructural needs.

CAG also lashed out about the callousness of BRD Hospital for its inability to procure and utilise the equipment despite having the funds to do so.

The supply of oxygen, which has been stated as one of the reason of the death of 64 children (Current count while publishing) was reduced from normal after the Hospital finance department couldn’t clear the outstanding dues of 70 lakh.

The Principal of BRD Hospital resigned recently taking the moral responsibility of the death, but will his resignation bring back the lives of 64 kids which lost their battle to the death?

The college denied the fact that the children died because of lack of oxygen or any kind of shortage before two letters surfaced online showing the demand of immediate oxygen supply. If the contract signed showed that the supply will be cut if the bills as old as six months are not paid, then why BRD Hospital deposited 27.4 crores in KGMU and didn’t clear the bill?

The politics will outshine the real issue as the elections are on the verge and no party wants to miss the brownie points right now and in between all this the common man suffers, his family suffers and his kids suffer.

CASE 2:  Sanitation situation in Gorakhpur

While nobody wants to take the blame; the basic need of human is not met. India will be celebrating its 71st Independence Day on this 15th August, but, we still face a bigger menaces of open defecation and sanitation issue.

The jury is still not out whether it was corruption, callousness or disease but the research done shows that UP is marred by open defecation and sanitation issues and this leads to a deadly disease called Encephalitis.

It is the swelling in the brain that leads to sudden fever, headache, neck spasm, coma, seizures, paralysis and finally the inevitable, death. Even if one doesn’t die.one might end up with permanent disability intellectually or physically.

Encephalitis symptoms can be caused by both JE (Japanese Encephalitis) or AES (Acute Encephalitis Syndrome) and It peaks during monsoon season. It generally spreads to mosquitoes which carry the virus from the pigs and water birds and since the mosquitoes can’t pick this virus from humans, this disease is more prevalent in rural and semi-urban areas. Gorakhpur of UP is the epicentre of the annual outbreak of both JE and AES. The vaccination program has been run by the government in 86 endemic districts of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, but it continues to haunt the people of India.

While the CM of UP said that the menace of open defecation and improper sanitation practices has caused this virus to pierce its teeth in the flesh of small children and infants, nothing has been done regarding this in the districts of India which is the source of this deadly virus.

Whether it’s corruption or sanitation, it’s the common man who must pay for this and its high time that we take these issues seriously. We need to work on our basic infrastructure and the way organizations operate in India. The numbers will keep increasing but will stay where we were 70 years ago. The movies are made on these issues, people march for these causes, the Facebook status gets updated, but then we forget that India is more than these things, we are more than these things.

While you explore the path of Independence and freedom it’s your duty to #DiscoverNewInYou.

#HappyIndependenceDay