1st Aug 2020 02:08:AM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

At the current critical times when the state’s entire health administration is devoting all its time, energy and resources in keeping at bay the Covid-19 pandemic, the strange behaviour of a good portion of ICR denizens is bound to cause disheartenment. It has been reiterated by health experts across the world including the hierarchies of  WHO since day one that testing is the vital step without which it will be well-nigh impossible for proceeding an inch further with combat plans. But it seems the caveat has fallen on deaf years in the most-troubled pocket of the state. 

On Thursday, Health Secretary and Capital DMO expressed their concerns regarding the low turnout for Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) in the Itanagar Capital Region and the same was echoed on Friday by the SSO. This is a queer situation since after building the Covid testing facilities virtually from scratch, the end result is remaining nearly nil just due to the irrational behaviour of the denizens. It’s unfortunate yet true that preconceived misconceptions about Covid is the root cause for this behaviour and the sooner they are effaced, the better it will be for the capital in particular and the state in general.

Observing the nature of Covid testing protocols in the country over these four months, it can be said that although there was less preparedness during initial days, things have gathered momentum lately with the target in front to bring a healthy parity between tests and population. Also, for making sure that there are no false-negatives, RAT results are cross checked through supplementary dual RT-PCR and TrueNat tests. Arunachal has followed the same method and has ramped up resources accordingly. But the fear of being detected positive and more particularly the associated fear of being socially stigmatised are the deterring causes for this apathy among capital denizens. In contrast, the rural counterparts are proving to be more progressive-minded and as such headache for the administration is much less there. It should be remembered that playing a hide-and-seek game with the administration may result in escape from test for the time being , but, that will actually mean that spread of the killer virus will remain unchecked, thereby diluting the goal of ‘breaking the chain’ and in a way thriving as a potent cause of community transmission.

If it’s true that coronavirus is deadly, it has also been medically proven that 97 out of 100 get totally cured. A positive test result should never be misread as an approaching death. State government should also do all that is possible to weed out the menace of stigmatisation which is the principal cause for apathy to testing.

It’s high time Capital denizens understand the realities. In the Covid war, there is no substitute to testing.


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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