By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The worst is over, and the Nipah-struck Kozhikode district is bouncing back to normality.
The most gratifying aspect is that no new cases have been reported in the ‘second wave’ of the Nipah outbreak in north Kerala. None of the second set of patients had tested positive. It shows that the spectre of the much-dreaded viral flare-up is certainly vanishing into thin air. But the state would continue to remain alert at least until the end of June. Nipah has an incubation period of 21 days
The most visible sign of the improvement in the situation is that trading activity in Kozhikode is limping back to normal. Business has been picking up in the famous Sweet Meat Street, Valiyangadi (Big Bazaar), Moideen Palli Road, Court Road and Palayam.
Several seasonal businesses, particularly the fruits market and the school reopening sales had been hit hard. Such was the impact of the Nipah scare that even branded showrooms in malls reported low attendance during the Ramzan season. Hotel and restaurant business had also recorded a 30 per cent drop in the wake of the Nipah scare.
Another matter of great relief is that people who have been scared stiff and staying indoors hitherto have started venturing out with families. This was mainly due to the panic created by scare-mongering and the spread of misinformation through the social media. But, with the Government taking strict action against scare-mongers – as many as 14 of them have already been arrested – the situation has changed for the better.
The improvement in the situation is being attributed to the quick and praiseworthy response from the Health department led from the front by Health Minister K K Shailaja. Right from the day the Nipah virus struck, the Minister has been camping at Kozhikode and coordinating steps aimed at controlling the situation. She ws ably supported by a dedicated team of department officials, doctors and nurses, nursing assistants and other staff. What made their task extremely difficult was that they were fighting a scourge about which very little is known. It was like leaping into the dark and hoping for the best.
No word of praise will be too high for the manner in which they rose to the occasion by fighting against heavy odds and in the teeth of adversity. . Particular mention must be made of contract nurse at Perambra Taluk Hospital, Lini Puthussery who sacrificed her life while treating the first Nipa-affected patient. Lini Puthussery has emerged as an enduring icon who ignored threats to her own life in the discharge of her duty. Baby Memorial Hospital doctors Anoop Kumar and AS Ramakrishnan also deserve fulsome praise for quickly identifying the virus as Nipah. Then there is Dr Gopakumar who performed the last rites of some Nipah victims even as their kith and kin shied away from the task. When the shining saga of the anti-Nipah war is recorded, their deeds will be written in golden letters.
The government’s splendid performance was encapsulated in an editorial written by popular English daily, The Hindu. Health Minister Shailaja quoted extensively from the editorial while detailing the steps the government was taking to control the situation.
“Kerala’s public health systems have acted with extraordinary efficiency so far. Doctors identified the virus in the very second patient, a diagnostic speed unrivalled even in developed countries. This must be commended.”
How magnificently the health department and the team of doctors, nurses and nursing assistants rose to the occasion is evident from the fact that even the Leader of the Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala, who rushes to the press with statements critical of the government at the drop of a hat as it were, had only words of praise!
The Nipah outbreak also saw a high-level of synergy and coordination between the State and the Centre. As soon as the state government informed the Centre, a team of e experts rushed to Kerala. A second team of experts came soon after to study the situation. They were all praise for the steps taken by the state government to tackle the menace. It was cooperative federalism at its best.
In conclusion, it must be said that the Nipah outbreak has many points to ponder. There are lessons to be learnt – and learnt fast. Of utmost importance is the paramount need to manage waste disposal. While Keralites are known for their personal hygiene, their civic sense is infuriatingly poor. The Government must urgently address this problem on a war footing if the state is not to see the outbreak of Nipah-like flare-ups in future. Punishment for dumping waste on public places must be made more stringent. Equally important is the need for preserving the ecological balance.
A good beginning has been made with the success in containing the Nipah scare. The momentum must not be lost. A determined and combined effort by all the stakeholders alone can make Kerala a better place to lead a healthy, disease-free life. (IPA Service)
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