TROUBLED STATES
If infections are slow in many other countries, India still reports more than 50,000 cases per day. The total of more than 2 million cases traces only the United States and Brazil, and cases show no signs of slowing. Since the pandemic in India, more than 46,000 people have died.
Although the major cities of India, such as New Delhi and Mumbai – the first to be affected by the virus – have recorded a decline in cases, figures in second-tier cities and rural areas are still increasing.
Bihar is the third most popular state of India; if it were a country, it would be the 14th most popular in the world.
The state has a rich history, including the site where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under the shade of a Bodhi tree.
But today, Bihar has a reputation as one of India’s problem-plagued states.
Based on indicators including baby nutrition, the development level of Bihar has more in common with sub-Saharan Africa than the thriving southern states of India. Nearly half of children under 5 in the state are stunted by enterprise, with more than four in 10 underweight for their age, according to federal data.
Bihar also has the highest population growth in India, and one of the worst education systems, and scores poorly on indicators including adult literature, the percentage of children attending school and the results of the exam.
The health care system was overrun even before the pandemic struck. Dr Sunil Kumar, the Bihar secretary of the Indian Medical Association – the most important union for health care in India – said more than half of the doctor posts in the state are not filled. That’s because many doctors are reluctant to serve in rural areas, according to the Bihar Supreme Court, which urged the state government to do more to fill the roles in a May ruling.
There have been around 87,000 cases of coronavirus in the state and 465 deaths – relatively small compared to other states. Given the low test levels in the state, the numbers may be conservative. However, Bihar’s health system is already close to breaking point, unlike places like New Delhi, which has many more cases but enjoys better resources.
The state government’s response to the outbreak has sparked litigation of public interest and called for the federal government of India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to take over the management of the pandemic here.
One case, filed by local businessman Aditya Jalan, says “unreachable” lives will be lost if action is not taken soon, especially with the pandemic spreading in less developed and more rural areas.
His petition calls for a “complete disintegration of public health infrastructure in the state of Bihar, including the lack of COVID-19 hospitals, the lack of hospital beds, inadequate testing, the non-sanitary quarantine centers, the lack of maintenance of social distancing measures, the insufficient medical staff, [and] the failure of PPE to frontline workers. “
The Supreme Court of India will hear the case on Friday.
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