Reportage
COVID-19 invades rural India; district hospitals struggle with faulty or no ventilators at all
An investigation by Gaon Connection reveals how several district hospitals, where rural India seeks medicare, have inadequate, faulty or no ventilators at their disposal. There is also a severe shortage of trained technicians to operate them.
Gaon Connection
‘It is a complete circus in the village!’: Rural India apprehensive of wedding ceremonies amidst surging COVID19 cases
The surge in COVID 19 pandemic in rural India is still not coming in the way of weddings, rituals and other ceremonies, all of which are well attended. But those who are better acquainted about the pandemic fear the villages are ripe for an explosion of COVID 19 cases.
Arvind Shukla
Versha Verma helps perform the last rites of 10-12 COVID victims every day. The calls for help are increasing
Not being able to perform the last rites of a loved one who has died of COVID-19 has become one of the worst traumas family members are facing. But, Versha Verma of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh daily accompanies 10 to 12 bodies on their last journey and cremates them.
Divendra Singh
Supreme Court directs the Centre to rethink its vaccine policy to be in line with the Constitution
The Supreme Court stated that it is the Centre’s responsibility to procure all vaccines from the manufacturers and distribute it amongst the states. This, according to the apex court, would be a rational method of proceeding in a manner consistent with the Right to Life, which includes Right to Health.
Gaon Connection
UP govt launches a special screening drive across 97,409 villages to check COVID spread
On the first day of the campaign in Uttar Pradesh’s villages, the ASHA workers who visited the households to look out for the COVID19 symptoms received a mixed response from the village populations as many were not keen to share the details about their health condition.
Virendra Singh
BJP suffers losses in Mathura, Varanasi and Ayodhya in the UP panchayat polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in power in Uttar Pradesh, fared badly in three prestigious districts — Ayodhya, Mathura and Varanasi. The state goes for assembly elections next year.
Gaon Connection
As COVID19 wreaks havoc on rural India, local medical stores are the only aid for villagers
Amidst negligible arrangements for medical aid, little testing and rising number of infections, people living in villages have been left to depend on local medical stores for treatment. These stores themselves are short on supplies.
Arvind Shukla
Death of COVID19 patients due to oxygen shortage is no less than a genocide: Allahabad High Court
The courts are coming down hard on governments for not arranging for enough medical oxygen for patients. Today, a Supreme Court bench said Delhi could probably learn from the COVID19 management model of the BMC in Mumbai.
Gaon Connection
A tweet opens a Pandora’s box of how rural India is coping with the COVID19 second wave
Rural India is floundering, with innumerable cases of fever and cold, classic COVID-19 symptoms. Villagers find themselves without testing facilities, medical help and vaccines. Hear what they have to say…
Nidhi Jamwal
MBBS and nursing students on COVID19 duty in Himachal Pradesh to get between Rs 50 and Rs 100 a day
The move has been soundly criticised, as being too less for the dedicated work healthcare staff put in, and the endless hours of work. Meanwhile, it was announced that healthcare workers who complete 100 days of COVID duty will receive the Prime Minister’s Distinguished COVID National Service Samman.