Dr. T Jacob John, India’s foremost virologist, epidemiologist and researcher in a daily conversation with Jagdish Rattanani, journalist and editor of Foundation of The Billion Press, to build what we call the COVID-19 diary
JR: What are your thoughts now, after you heard the Prime Minister has extended the lockdown to May 3?
The Prime Minister talked at the time of the Janata curfew, then he talked about the 21-day curfew, then he talked about the nine minute ceremony...diyas. And this is the fourth time. My hope was that the fourth time will be a professional job. Not rhetoric or polemic, but in a realistic way, any citizen would expect from any chief, the head of the government.
But Prime Minister Modi has a single point agenda in the entire talk, which was the extension of the lockdown. His oratorical skill is superb. But this time he didn’t bring in any of Mahabharata or those kind of issues, he was very factually focused, and that is good. And he addressed some of the issues exclusively related to the lockdown, and what he wants is the flattening of the curve, that he sympathizes with all the people who are affected, and he saluted the doctors but didn’t touch what doctors are feeling in their hearts.
I didn’t expect him to say anything very technical because, he probably may not be able to articulate it. The technical head is Director General of Health Services, and this head is missing.
Okay and so he didn’t go into any of those peripheral issues which are as crucial as the lockdown. But he stuck to the lockdown and the strictness with which it will be maintained. Kudos.
However, what he did not say is what, you know, I am disappointed about. I didn’t expect him to say anything very technical because, he probably may not be able to articulate it. The technical head is Director General of Health Services, and this head is missing. When I talk about Director General of Health Services, people ask me, oh is there one like that? Man or a woman. That is the kind of ignorance among the public, about even the existence of a person in that position. People have learnt Balram Bhargava (Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR). People have known the name of the Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, head of epidemiology and communicable diseases at ICMR.
These are the names we have heard about, but, have we ever heard the name of DG of the Health Services or even the Director of the National Centre for Disease Control. So we all know the research chief, but not the management chief in health, namely the DGHS or Director of NCDC. That is a disappointment because, I was hoping to hear something about what doctors should know and do, should not do, how hospitals have to run.
Yesterday, a doctor called me and in great agitation, he said, “doctor what do I do, my wife and I work there.” He said he had closed the hospital yesterday.
JR- Oh, why? Because….?
Fear. There are hospitals that get closed, because some guy walks in for something and then he is diagnosed with COVID. Couple of days later, one or two people are infected and the action is to close down the hospital because the hospital has become now the new source of infection. However, the hospitals are treated like any other place, not sacred to the goddess of medicine.
So, yes, I was not disappointed, because I didn’t expect from the Prime Minister this kind of detail but I want it from somebody.
Yesterday, a doctor called me and in great agitation, he said, “doctor what do I do, my wife and I work there.” He said he had closed the hospital yesterday.
JR- So what you are saying that technical lead should come forward and brief openly, repeatedly, transparently, clearly.
Yes, and say the dos and don’ts, what the reality is, what the fears are… what are the plus points that we have.
JR – Anyway, overall, you are positive about the extension of lockdown I suspect?
Absolutely. The State Governments wanted it. And I think the State Governments have understood one more thing that they need time to prepare for the post lockdown period.
JR – Yeah, okay.
But he didn’t address that. He only wants to flatten the curve but the preparation necessary for that he didn’t address and he left that obviously to the State Governments. But he did mention the mask, he came wearing a makeshift mask. That was a good message.
This conversation was recorded on 14 April 2020 after the Prime Minister of India addressed the nation and announced that the nation-wide lockdown stands extended to May 03, 2020