Daijiworld Media Network -Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Apr 7: "Planning is an ongoing process in which you have to keep evolving and changing the goings-on. And the virus has taught us that planning is important," said Lieutenant General Ashok Jindal, AVSM, YSM Director and Commandant Army (Research and Referral ), Delhi Cantonment.
He was speaking during the 2nd Dr B S Sajjan Endowment Oration on the topic "Planning for Pandemics: Lessons learnt from Covid-19" at Medical Education Unit AV Hall, KMC Light House Hill Road here.
"We need to plan for the future to tackle biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear disasters. All the community medicine practitioners should plan and rehearse rigorously and think that there is a danger. Predicting the Covid-19 burden was a nightmare. The human, social and economic costs were huge. And the outcomes diverged widely from the expectations," he added.
“People are still not convinced whether it was a pandemic or was it intentional. There are several theories floating about the spread of the virus. We have good news that India has recorded less number of cases. Today, we see the theme of world health day 'one planet, one earth'. We should realise that no one on this planet is safe until all are safe,” he said.
He also said that none should indulge in fear-mongering regarding the pandemic. During the pandemic, the doctors, politicians, bureaucrats, and the media focused on fear about Covid-19. But, less importance was given to other diseases. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) all three institutions played an important role during the pandemic, he added.
He also informed that during the pandemic, civilians were allowed to get free treatment at the military hospitals.
Chief guest Dr Dilip G Naik, pro-vice-chancellor of MAHE, Manipal in his address said, " The pandemic in the last two years has shown us what kind of things can happen. Whenever we think of a crisis we think of the army because they are the people who manage the crisis. In the last two years, the doctors of community medicine have become very popular in national media. During the pandemic, we were totally unprepared on all fronts because we never expected it. But, one thing in India is whenever there is a crisis we all unite and come up with solutions. After the pandemic, we have reinforced our health services. Because of the crisis, constructive innovation is taking place in the health sector,” he said.
Dr M Venkataraya Prabhu, pro-vice-chancellor of MAHE, Manipal who was the guest of honour also spoke on the occasion.
Dr B Unnikrishnan, dean, KMC, Mangaluru welcomed the dignitaries.
Felicitation award and award of Dr B Sajjan Endowment were presented to Lieutenant General Ashok Jindal.
Dr Rekha T, Head of the Department of Community Medicine, KMC presented an overview of the department.
Dr Ramesh Holla, associate professor, Department of Community Medicine, KMC was also present.