GENRE: Voices

When one hears the words ‘patient dignity’, 'dignity in health care', 'dignity in death,' it conveys that even at their most vulnerable moments, human beings need to be treated with honour and respect. Every patient wants dignity, but are they getting it? 19th May 2020, early morning around 01.45 am, Dhanalakshmi, a senior citizen of our neighbourhood, aged almost 80, was critically ill. Her family and other residents in the building tried to call the 108 and 104 helplines to call for an ambulance. While 108 appeared defunct, 104 was not answered. With few options left, they approached the nearby…

Over the last few weeks, the sight of garbage pickers and their trucks plying on empty streets in the early mornings has taught us the value of poor migrant labourers who provide essential services in our metros.  From the relative comfort of middle-class homes, we have learnt about their lives and have been moved by their plight.  But, there is another aspect of their predicament, which became clear to me only when I began supplying essential drugs and food packets to their families.  For some years, my friends and I, as volunteers of the Aam Aadmi Party, had held health…

Translated by Sandhya Raju 60 வயதான அனிதா மற்றும் அவரின் 65 வயதான கணவருக்கு கோவிட்-19 தொற்று உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டதும், இது அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கும் தகவலாக அவர்களுக்கு அமையவில்லை. "மார்ச் 15 அன்று நியூசிலாந்த்திலிருந்து நாங்கள் திரும்பினோம். எங்களுடன் விமானத்தில் பயணம் செய்த ஒருவர் உடல்நிலை பாதிக்கப்பட்டிருந்ததால், எங்களுக்கும் தொற்று வரும் வாய்ப்பு உள்ளதை நாங்கள் அறிந்திருந்தோம்," என்கிறார் அனிதா. கோவிட் தொற்றை எதிர்கொண்டதை பற்றியும், தன் அனுபவத்தையும் அனிதா விவரிக்கிறார். தொற்றின் ஆரம்பம் “நியூசிலாந்த் நாட்டில் தொற்று எண்ணிக்கை அந்த நேரத்தில் அவ்வளவாக இல்லை என்பதால் நாங்கள் நாடு திரும்பிய போது சோதனைக்கு உட்படுத்தப்படவில்லை. ஆனாலும், எங்களின் கோட்டூர்புர வீட்டில் நாங்களே எங்களை தனிமைப்படுத்திக் கொண்டோம். இரண்டு நாட்களுக்கு பிறகு எங்களுக்கு காய்ச்சல் ஏற்பட்டது. இந்த நாட்கள் மிகவும் வித்தியாசமாக இருந்தது. எனக்கு வெகு குறைவான அறிகுறியே தென்பட்டது. முதல் நாள், 100*F வெப்பம் இருந்தது, அடுத்த நாள் 99*F…

Karnataka government and industry bodies have been speaking of the need to relax labour laws in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. We, at AICCTU (All India Central Council of Trade Unions), believe that in the crisis caused by the pandemic, we must strengthen labour laws, not weaken them. We submitted a memorandum to the state government in this regard on May 15. We hope that the government will consider our demands seriously and initiate action quickly. Government must strengthen labour laws to fight hunger and poverty, to build a secure society.Government must discuss with all trade unions on how labour…

When Anita, aged 60 and her husband, 65, tested positive for COVID-19, it didn't feel like news to them. "We were returning from New Zealand on March 15th and a fellow passenger in our flight was sick. We expected to get it," says Anita candidly. Anita narrates her experience in dealing with COVID and shares some advice for fellow citizens: The start of the illness "We were not tested for COVID-19 in the beginning probably since we had returned from New Zealand, where number of the cases was still low back then. But we self quarantined ourselves at our home…

As lockdown 4.0 starts with partial relaxation, and workplaces and work opportunities open up, public transport is an essential service that needs to be planned and operated with adequate precautions in place to prevent spread of COVID-19. Simultaneously, it should be a convenient and affordable option for access to livelihood and other essential needs. BMTC services are the lifeline of the city’s mobility needs, and the primary or even the only means of transport for a large section of the city’s population. The announcement to restart buses is welcome as it will enable them to get back to work again.…

Gopal, treasurer of the Karnataka State Construction Workers’ Union shares the problems faced by daily wagers during lockdown. RJ Asha from Radio Active 90.4 MHz speaks to Gopal, treasurer of the Karnataka State Construction Workers’ Union, about the many problems that daily wage labourers are facing during lockdown and the efforts to ease their difficulties. Gopal says they are managing to keep the Union’s Yeshwanthpur branch running by pitching in with their own money. The Union is trying its best to address the workers’ demands which the  government has done nothing to address. For now, the Union is helping them…

The normally bustling, outpatient unit of the Adyar Cancer Institute, is deafeningly quiet. And so it has been over the last two months, confirms Chairperson of the Institute, Chennai, Dr V Shanta, as she shares her concerns in the background of the devastating COVID pandemic. “Over the years, we have evolved standardized protocols integrating all the advances in oncologic science and technology into our treatment. But this never-before situation has raised multiple concerns," said Dr Shanta, "With the lockdown adding to the panic, many patients were unable to reach the cancer centre. Outpatients numbered about 400 before lockdown times and bed…

In this series, individuals, citizen groups and RWAs explain how they have dealt with the COVID-19 crisis in a constructive manner. In the seventh part of the series, a resident of Jakkur describes how her gated community supported those in need. On March 22, the day our Prime Minister called for Janta Curfew, we sensed the challenge ahead was not going to end anytime soon. The Janta Curfew gave a sneak peek into the potential problems during the long haul. It also made me ask - what can each individual do to minimise these problems?   Around that time, my husband…

The rotis lay strewn about on the railway track near Aurangabad - a tragic testimony to the plight of the poor in our country. Having packed their meagre belongings, with a bundle of food to be shared among the many, they only wanted to go home. Yet 16 people ended up being run over by a train as they fell asleep, exhausted, on the railway track near Aurangabad. The price for a ticket home cost them more than they bargained for.  The issue of migrants wanting to return their homes has been as big a problem as the pandemic of…