After Covid-19, a just and fair society

The world will never be the same again in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic which is believed to be one of the worst international health crises in history.  By 2pm yesterday the number of confirmed cases was about 2,186,000, the death toll around 147,000 while more than 553,000 people had recovered.  Significantly the worst affected are some of the world’s richest countries including the United States.

In Sri Lanka, the Rajapaksa government is widely regarded as having controlled the Covid-19 pandemic though it had to take drastic if not draconian measures in early March when the first positive case was reported. By 2pm yesterday, the number of positive cases was 238 with the death toll being seven while 68 had recovered.  As in other countries, risking their lives in the frontline of the battle were medical doctors, nurses and other hospital staff including hospital cleaners and cooks who are aware that their lives are in danger and they endanger the lives of their family members also. The security forces and the police are also playing a magnificent role in different ways with some of them entertaining those confined to isolation or quarantined on the National New Year Day. Reports says the government is considering a relaxation of the curfew from next week in districts other than the high risk Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Puttalam, Kandy and Jaffna districts. Most people are confined to their homes or working from home and some relief for Colombo and other high risk districts is likely from next month. 

In any event, we need to face and overcome this struggle through a positive approach. While success builds confidence, crisis moulds character. We also need to reflect more often on some of the revelations from this pandemic. For instance, in most hospitals the Out Patients Departments are closed and there is no rush in emergency wards. Few if any new patients are coming except for Covid-19 afflicted patients. There are few if any road accidents because after the curfew was imposed on March 20 there are only a few vehicles on the road.

 
Has Covid-19 pandemic brought about some reduction in other major diseases such as heart attack, brain hemorrhage and blood pressure cases, an analyst asks and his answer is  no. Reality is being exposed. Even where there is no serious ailment such as heart or brain problems some of the private hospital mafia is giving it a serious dimension. Ever since the influx of private hospitals, testing labs began to play a major role often at the expense of innocent and unsuspecting patients. People were being virtually forced to do tests including at the cost of thousands of rupees, though the ailment essentially was a mild cold or cough. Surgical operations were done even though some of them were not essential and could have been treated without cutting up the body.  Patients were put into Intensive Care Units and charged double the normal amounts even though they could have been treated in normal wards.  When being forced to go to the ICU, the patient usually develops more fear or stress and this may aggravate the ailment. Now after Covid-19 how did this exploitation suddenly stop?

In addition there is another change. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic multi million rupee five-star hotel receptions no longer take place and the vulgar extravagance has ended. The crisis has also forced people to stop regularly going to hotels for lunch or dinner instead they now have to be satisfied with home food. The crisis has stopped unnecessary spending by people and that is why some social analysts say this will bring about a simple and humble lifestyle or ‘Alpechchathawaya’ and eventually bring about world poverty alleviation through a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources. At present poverty alleviation is one of the world’s biggest crises with ten super-billionaires known to be controlling about 70 per cent of the world’s wealth and resources.  This is a result of satanic selfishness with people who have much wanting more and more though they know that with nothing they came into this world and with nothing they will depart.

The Covid-19 virus is changing the thinking of human beings. If we really understand how little we need to live in peace then we can get rid of diseases, food and money concerns to a great extent. When the Covid-19 pandemic is controlled our lives also will be changed. If we control our lives and learn to live with basic needs, then life will be pleasant and joyful.