Indifferent administration hurting people

When will the administration wake up, stop making claims of how "effectively" they are handling he pandemic and instead see the ground reality and take measures to put an end to black marketing of drugs and injections required to treat Covid-19 and the other three epidemics black fungus, Singapore strain and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children that are threatening to add to the problem?

It is just enough if Chief Ministers or public representatives make rounds of hospitals? What will they see or learn? It would be a pre-arranged tour and more useful for the purpose of publicity.

In no way would it help in knowing the ground realities. They will go round the wards, meet the Superintendents of hospital talk to them, come out and claim all is well. They do not realise that all is in "WELL." The Delhi High Court on Wednesday made an interesting observation, "Politicians, bureaucrats find difficult to accept failure; not in veins."

In this age of technology, for the administration it still seems difficult to put an end to the menace called black marketing. Just as a Covid-19 patient requires strong will power to fight the virus, the administration too needs strong will power laced with humanity. But as the High Court said it is not in their veins.

What is required is a serious study of why lifesaving injections and drugs are being black marketed, what are the loop holes in supply chain from lab to medical shops and strengthening of vigilance wings which can prevent hoarding and black marketing.

In this era of technology, it is not difficult to monitor the supply chain. But the problem in India is the authorities which are supposed to check such illegal activities are not as effective as they should be and the political executive blinks over this issue.

The Centre had told the Supreme Court that all States must ensure special teams at different levels to "mercilessly clamp down" on hoarding and black marketing of drugs during the Covid-19 pandemic and send a clear message that "trading in human miseries" shall not be tolerated. Will the State governments prove they have the spine?

"The question of black-marketing is essentially dealt with sternly by use of police administration and local State administration. Law and order being a state subject all State governments must ensure special teams at State, district and taluka levels to mercilessly clamp down on any illegal hoarding or black marketing" the Centre has said in its affidavit.

The industry says that the pharmaceutical supply chain involves many stake holders and the process is a complex one. It involves manufacturers, wholesale distributors, retailers etc. It would require several steps to be taken to ensure medications are available and accessible to patients.

The pharma companies say that if the drugs are not distributed properly it affects both the needs of the customer and the image of the company that manufactures the drugs. It also disrupts the healing processes of patients and produces negative efforts on public health a Kaiser Family Foundation report said.

We are seeing how black marketing of Remdesvir, Inflimab and many other such important drugs have gone off the shelves and landed it he hands of black marketeers. The injection that should cost Rs 20000- Rs 28000 is being sold for anything above Rs 40,000 per dose. How outsiders, non-licenced persons could access these drugs, no one bothers to find and curb such practices.

They are available for a premium even at around 1 am and they drain the financial resources of the patients attendant's. On one hand the high hospital fees and on the other hand, the black marketing of drugs and injections make people feel dejected. Unfortunately, the governments don't focus attention on this problem and are more busy in politicking. Some ministers tweet contact us for any problem. But how and how fast can they respond? For example a patient needs injection to reduce lung infection, is there a mechanism to help them in place? Certainly not. When will 'Achche Din' come?