Management basics amidst Covid

For the last one and a half years, there has been a plethora of information to the public on how to proceed in case of suspected infection of the Coronavirus. All this stuff has now and again been disseminated through the electronic media, and the lightning speed with which such announcements are made, display of elocution at times etc., makes it impossible to note down even if one has pen and paper ready. Phone nos. are not even displayed on the screen.

It is time the authorities thought of issuing a printed leaflet (to be up-dated when necessary) to each household, business establishment, public place, etc. to serve as a ready-reckoner. It is humanly impossible to keep all this in mind and keep track as in an excited environment, one can forget the details. This is absolutely essential.

Further, hot-lines with various recorded messages (dial 1 for this and 2 for the other, three for something else, taking you on a merry-go-round is not helpful at all, a waste of time and taxing patience most of the time. A living personality answering at the other end is essential, only and only if the service is monitored right through by a responsible person for alertness.

The best arrangement would be to streamline Ambulance services with trained personnel with clear instructions as to how to deal with situations, where to take patients etc., without depending on guardians of the patient. Might explore foreign aid immediately, making a start with the 1990 ambulance service already in place, courtesy India, which had proved a boon.

Realisation should dawn that this is a matter of life and death and that the people expect the government to be sensitive to basic requirements. Not everyone has Smart phones, not everyone is knowledgeable on modern techniques, no everyone knows the nitty gritty of the operation.

I.P.C. MENDIS