Once-model states suffer response fatigue as Covid-19 surges in India

‘The city of Bangalore... was a model for the response to Covid-19 in India just last week. But infections have doubled in the first six days of July, crossing 10,000. With about 1,000 new infections a day, the famed tech city is now gripped by confusion about bed availability, disappearing medical staff, and falling rates of testing...

‘The neighbouring state of Kerala, which received international praise for its early and rigorous response to the pandemic that began with its - and India's - first case on January 30, is also showing signs of response fatigue.’

Read here (Straits Times, July 7, 2020)

The coronavirus slayer! How Kerala's rock star health minister helped save it from Covid-19

‘On 20 January, KK Shailaja phoned one of her medically trained deputies. She had read online about a dangerous new virus spreading in China. “Will it come to us?” she asked. “Definitely, Madam,” he replied. And so the health minister of the Indian state of Kerala began her preparations.

‘Four months later, Kerala has reported only 524 cases of Covid-19, four deaths and – according to Shailaja – no community transmission. The state has a population of about 35 million and a GDP per capita of only £2,200. By contrast, the UK (double the population, GDP per capita of £33,100) has reported more than 40,000 deaths, while the US (10 times the population, GDP per capita of £51,000) has reported more than 82,000 deaths; both countries have rampant community transmission.’

Read here (The Guardian, May 14, 2020)

Kerala's unique way to promote social distancing: Use umbrellas

‘Amid the outbreak of novel coronavirus in India, the government and state authorities have been rigorously urging the citizens to ensure social distancing among one another. In a similar manner, the Thanneermukkom gram panchayat in Alappuzha has come up with a unique idea to enforce social distancing in the area. The authorities have mandated everyone residing there to hold an umbrella when they go out. “Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure minimum distance of 1 meter from one another,” said state finance minister Thomas Isaac.’

Read here (Live Mint, April 26, 2020)

‘There is a reason the rest of India cannot be Kerala’

This is not a Covid-19 story, however, it gives the social backdrop to the state’s successful response to the virus... ‘Modern India has been trying to be more like Mumbai. It is raising congested cities out of villages, shrinking homes, building amoeba-shaped golf courses for a few and calling it progress. Instead, maybe India should try to be a Kerala? Modern Kerala, which is misunderstood as a communist region, is in reality a post-capitalist state. A lot of things have gone into the making of its character. Mere policy cannot transform the rest of India into Kerala.’

Read here (Live Mint, April 19, 2020)

‘Kerala model is nothing but focus on education and welfare’

This opinion piece covers (1) what Kerala did right in fighting coronavirus? (2) Kerala model: Left, right and centre (3) Kerala sticks to WHO guidelines & executes them efficiently (4) No time for political one-upmanship

Read here (The Quint, April 15, 2020)

Kerala’s Covid-19 approach: Less disruptive, less costly and more effective than most others

‘Some key features of Kerala’s response, undertaken by a government with very limited fiscal resources, are instructive:

1. All-of-government approach: involving a range of relevant state government ministries and agencies to design measures to improve consistency, coordination and communication, and to avoid confusion.
2. Whole-of-society approach: wide community consultations, including experts, to find the most locally appropriate modes of limiting infections, along with means to monitor and enforce them.
3. Social mobilisation: communities were provided essential epidemiological information to understand the threat and related issues, ensure compliance with prescribed precautionary measures, and avoid panic.
4. No one left behind: adequate supply of essential commodities, particularly food and medicines, has been ensured, especially to protect the most vulnerable sections of society.’

Read here (IPS News, April 9, 2020)

Kerala: An often overlooked region of India is a beacon to the world for taking on the coronavirus

‘KK Shailaja is the health minister in the Left Democratic Front government in Kerala, the state in the southwest of India that has a population of 35 million people. On January 25, 2020, she convened a high-level meeting to discuss the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. What had particularly worried her is that there were many students from Kerala studying in that province of China.

‘Shailaja had won widespread praise for the swift and efficient way she had steered her department through the Nipah virus that hit Kerala in 2018. She recognised that there was no time to be lost if the virus spread from Wuhan; the government had to set up mechanisms for identifying possibly infected persons, and then for testing, mitigation, and treatment. On January 26, 2020, her department set up a control room to coordinate the work...’

Read here (Citizen Truth, March 24, 2020)