“Declare the nationwide lockdown by the end of the month with social security coverage”
With the daily new COVID-19 cases exceeding 4 lakhs and the daily death toll exceeding 4,000 and the nationwide shortage of ambulances, hospital beds, intensive care units, ventilators, oxygen and even incineration rooms, former union secretary EAS Sarma has urged the central government to present a national COVID strategy.
In a letter to the Union’s finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, he has proposed declaring a national COVID emergency as part of the plan that includes a nationwide lockdown by the end of May with full social security coverage for migrant workers for at least all elections for the next six months and declare all health equipment, medicines and facilities essential to government regulation.
“Form a National Committee”
Mr Sarma suggested that the emergency should be monitored by a national all-party committee composed of high-level representatives from the center, states and all political parties on one platform.
He also suggested that the plan can be modeled on the Bombay Municipal Corporation, which focuses on a patient-centered approach with empathy.
In his proposal, Mr Sarma called on both the Union and the state governments to convert large empty buildings, wedding halls, sports stadiums, etc. into hospital rooms in cooperation with the defense services and to offer free treatment to those in need.
He also pointed out the need to prioritize vaccination and improve the current system as people have to wait long hours for the bite in a risky environment.
He also called on the government to increase the allocation of funds to health infrastructure.