By Francis Quamina Farrier

No country in the world has escaped the COVID-19 pandemic. In this May 3, 2020 edition of the Chronicle Pepperpot Magazine, and in Observance of Indian Arrival Day on Tuesday, we take a look at the efforts of the governments of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, in dealing with the COVID-19 in those four eastern countries, which like Guyana, are members of the British Commonwealth group of nations.

There was once the Sub-continent of India which was ruled by Great Britain for centuries. Immediately following its independence, the country was partitioned in 1947, creating two other countries – Pakistan to the west and Bangladesh to the east. It was one of the saddest periods in the history of that beautiful chunk of the Creator’s “Wonderful World”.

We commence this report on the COVID-19 with India, the largest of those four countries; a country with a population of one billion, three hundred and eighty million. The cases reported of infected Indians were recently given as just 29, 500 and 940 deaths. Speaking to the media, the Indian Health Ministry Official Lav Agarwal stated that, “India was over-prepared and extra cautious”, for the COVID-19 and that “There were 106,000 hospital beds in 601 hospitals.” He added that “The country is ready to fight this epidemic.”

India has done tremendously well considering its extremely high population, yet having such a relatively low number of COVID-19 cases and so few deaths. Nonetheless, there are some issues. One of the country’s basic and lowest-paid workers – the sanitation workers – whose job is to collect garbage and clean sewers, continue to do so without the protection of face masks or gloves or boots. That has become a burning issue as the COVID-12 pandemic continues to pose a greater threat to India. However, that problem is now being addressed by the Authorities. In many of India’s rural communities, residents face the problem of accessing cash since there are no banks or ATMs in those rural communities. Since the lockdown, there has been no public transportation available to get people to nearby towns.

A government report states that although there aren’t enough test kits to adequately deal with the health situation, India is relying on a gigantic surveillance network to trace and quarantine infected people. Thousands of health care workers are fanning out across the densely populated country to trace and quarantine people who might have had contact with others with the COVID-19. Meanwhile, the Indian government has rolled out a $22.6 billion stimulus package for the poor. The 40-day lockdown in India is scheduled to be lifted today, May 3.

To the east of India is Bangladesh, where the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, announced an $8 billion stimulus package. However, it was criticised because critics claim that it was not getting to the poor. With a population of 164 million, Bangladesh suffered 6,500 cases of the coronavirus and 130 deaths. Among the afflicted are 324 doctors who are now fighting for their lives.

On the economic side, over a quarter of the country’s garment workers numbering a million, are now out of a job because of the disruption by the COVID-19 pandemic. “That strikes very hard at the country’s economy since Bangladesh is second only to China in the world of garment manufacturing,” according to a government report. Many of the poor are defying the government’s lockdown orders and are turning up to work, encouraged by their employers. Thousands of the textile workers, now desperate for money have over the past few days, resumed work at about 1,000 factories nationwide. Meanwhile, Bangladeshis abroad are sending funds to assist the less fortunate at this trying time.

To the west of India is Pakistan. The first cases of the COVID-19 in that Islamic nation were two students who had just returned to the country from Iran on February 26. By late April, the number of afflicted citizens in Pakistan had skyrocketed to 11,500 in that country of 220 million population. There were 322 deaths at that time. The government announced that Health Workers will receive an increased salary for as long as the pandemic lasts. With the season of Ramadan now in progress, a controversy has arisen regards crowded mosques.

A group of senior doctors in Pakistan and the diaspora wrote a joint letter to Religious Leaders and Prime Minister Imran Khan, a former Test cricketer, pleading not to open mosques during Ramadan since that could result in an explosion of Caronavirus cases and deaths. They pointed out that many who attend mosques are in the older age range and are more vulnerable to the COVID-19. Prime Minister Imran Khan, a conservative, has up to the time of writing this article, not ordered that mosques be closed.

The island nation of Sri Lanka which is located in the Indian Ocean just south of India is struggling to stay above the COVID-19 fray. But it is a steep climb. With a strong economic Chinese presence in the country, China has granted a loan of $500 million to Sri Lanka to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Added to which, two dominant Chinese companies in Sri Lanka, have donated large amounts of face masks and test kits, to subdue the ravages of the coronavirus in the population. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic in that country is being blamed by some leaders, on the Muslim minority.

They are spreading the idea that Muslims are deliberately spreading COVID-19. The hate speeches being uttered are certainly adding to the sectarian problem which has plagued Sri Lanka since the island was known as Ceylon. During the sectarian violence of the early 1980s, Guyana gave refuge to many professional Sri Lankans. Many worked in government ministries in Georgetown.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Sri Lanka’s tea-producing plantation workers face deadly hazards working without face masks and living in overcrowded accommodations. Also overcrowded are Sri Lankan prisons. With a capacity for 10,00, the prisons were packed in with 26,000 at the beginning of the year. With the on-going pandemic, 3,00 prisoners were released last week. Nonetheless, Sri Lanka remains one of the countries with a relatively small number of afflicted and dead. It has also been ranked the ninth best country in the world for its successful immediate response on tackling COVID-19.

It must be noted that all of the figures stated in the reports above, are most likely to have increased as you are reading this article which is published on May 3, 2020. Nonetheless, those four featured countries are all doing much better than many countries which are classified as ‘developed’; Italy, Spain and of course, the United States- the latter with well over a million infected and 58,000 dead. It must be noted, too, that the Heads-of-State of all four of those countries featured in this report – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – are supportive of the Medical operatives, and giving them available support.
In closing, from me to you, happy and safe Arrival Day wishes.