Throughout history there have been devastating events through which human beings have fought merely to survive. There have been wars, holocausts, tsunamis, famines and plagues all of which come around in what seems like a never-ending cycle. However, the enduring spirit of human kindness seems to end each catastrophe bringing light to periods of darkness. We are at a crucial moment in time where the people of our country are waiting to see if compassion plays a part in healing the huge social injustice caused by profiteering.

The media is full of stories about people who are making huge strides amassing massive fortunes and credit should be given to most of them for seeking the initiative to do so. However, if you look beneath the surface of some of the success stories you begin to realize that not all of it is about well-gotten gains. There seems to be a new breed of entrepreneurs who are very adept at cashing in on a disaster and become millionaires. These hyenas lurk over the carcasses of the dead and dying and eke out the last few cents in the name of profit.

Gun smugglers and arms-dealers thrive during wars, people smugglers make huge profits out of fleeing refugees, non-governmental organisations and charities make the most out of natural disasters and conflicts, but the most disgusting of all are those who make money out of the sick, the dying and the helpless. All of this occurs when money and profit are prioritised over lives.

All of us have been trying to fight off a plague of biblical proportions for the last twenty months. In our little island there are a few who have been encouraged by the powers that be to capitalize on the disaster. Face masks, sanitizers and rapid antigen tests which are bought at a fraction of a price and are re-sold at such a massive profit, it’s shameful. It simply beggar’s belief that one person can dominate and hold the monopoly on this market and get away with it – unquestioned! It is not only unethical its plain and simple GREED. Let’s hope that there is a special place in hell for individuals like these.

On the back of this curse of a plague there are those pop-up hospitals that are branches of bigger private hospitals that are making a killing (or so to speak) by providing a service of so-called ‘care’. These temporarily rented properties that are now “Covid hospitals” were formerly small hotels which have been forced to close due to the lack of tourists. They are staffed by uncaring nurses and security guards. The staff in these money- making establishments, couldn’t give a rat’s arse about the possibility of the disease spreading. Their obligation is to their employer and not for the sick and soon to be dead. There is very clear evidence that they have been known to let high risk patients go out for strolls on the beach in the evenings spreading the virus. Why do they have such a scant disregard for human lives? I am sure this is with the intention of filling up more hospitals with patients so that they can reap the benefits.

I am completely aware that some of Sri Lanka’s bigger hotels have had to offer their rooms and services to hospitals and this is completely understandable. It is better that such facilities are used than them being left to corrode and fall apart. And of course, it generates much needed income by keeping the staff in employment which is crucial especially in an economy that is falling apart at the seams! I applaud those who have opened their doors to welcome this temporary transformation as it’s the only sensible option we have in times like this.

Profiteering was given a boost by the rise in infections. These opportunistic parasites feast on the infected and suffering masses whilst making money hand over fist. The ordinary man has been rendered helpless with the lack of options and becomes the victim to those who are capitalising on this terrible crisis. Here are some true incidents to dwell on:

Private hospitals these days are asking for huge amounts of money to release the bodies of patients who have died as a result of Covid 19. These patients are hardly ever given an option as to where they are taken to when they are diagnosed. Once they are in some unknown hospital where family and friends cannot reach them, the mental stress of not knowing where you are can also be a factor expediting death. Put yourself in the place of close family member (ideally a spouse) of someone whose earning power is that of a driver (or a trishaw driver) who has tragically passed away. Then imagine being faced with a bill so huge, that a lifetime’s earnings cannot pay it back! What other option do you have than to get into debt just to get the body of your beloved released so that you can give them a decent burial / cremation?

Earlier this year, there was young father who was diagnosed with Covid19. He was taken from Ambuldeniya to the Kalubowila hospital where he stayed for two full days without any treatment. Then he, along with many other patients were put into a bus and transferred to a “Covid camp” in Poonani. That arduous eight-hour journey took place in the night. Poonani, by all accounts is like Auschwitz. The sick have to walk down five floors to get a drink of water, which is scarce. There are no pillows on the beds. Toilets are filthy and overflowing. The lack of basic hygiene soon made this man’s condition worse and they rushed him from there to Welikanda hospital. It was the pressure applied externally by his uncle and family members that made these transfers possible. Imagine the mere fact that a very sick patient had to call his family and ask them to contact the doctors so that they let him go to the toilet! When the man’s condition deteriorated further, he was rushed (on another eight-hour journey) by ambulance to the Kotelawala Defence Academy where every effort was made to save him without success. Even after suffering this grievous loss, his family remain grateful to all the doctors, nurses and the Sarvodaya Emergency Response unit for the efforts they made to help him. But they are angry for the complete lack of common sense, dignity and feeling for the common man by those who are meant to be responsible.

A few weeks back, an old gentleman who required frequent dialysis was asked to come into one of these quick-fix hospitals which was teeming with Covid19 patients. On this visit, his rapid antigen test came back positive and he was asked to stay, outside, in a trishaw, till they found him a suitable bed in another hospital. When it was obvious that a bed was not going found in any hospitals nearby, he managed to get back to the place he was staying at. The next morning his daughter tried to call him and did not get a response, she then alerted his landlady who found him lying unconscious on his bed. With the help of the police this landlady, managed to get him taken to a government hospital. He passed away a day later without even being able to see his daughter and wife. His daughter was not able to see him as she was shielding her mother who is suffering from cancer. When inquiries were made after his death the hospital concerned has basically said, “he should have gone to our other branch where he would have been admitted quicker because they do take in dialysis patients with Covid19 there.” Why was this information not provided when the man was outside in a trishaw breathing his last? To add insult to injury - the nurses at this hospital freely admitted that he most likely had been infected when he attended a previous appointment there! No apology, no empathy, no concern! I am confident that they wouldn’t be so lethargic when it came to the bill!

A few years ago, I met a very close friend of mine at a gathering. We were both observing an acquaintance boasting loudly about a new branch of their chain of hospitals that had opened recently. My friend nudged me and whispered saying, “to these people - death is money”. This comment has stayed in my mind ever since and has sadly proved to be true.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8: Verse 36.