GROUND REALITY DURING THE ONGOING PANDEMIC

In the present scenario where the deadly COVID -19 has taken more than millions of lives throughout the world, the roots of even the most developed countries are shaken. The health care system have collapsed completely in those parts of the world who were considered to be the best in terms of the patient care. Imagine such situation arising in the third world countries like India, Nepal or Pakistan!, and the result would be really devastating. But by the grace of god, number of patients getting affected as well as mortality due to this COVID - 19 is far more lesser than what we are witnessing in the countries like U.S.A,UK or other European states. Talking about the countries like Nepal and India not only the health care system but the entire economy is affected due to the ongoing pandemic. Though the number of cases affected with COVID - 19 is lesser but the government both side has taken the bold step of complete lockdown throughout the country inorder to break the chain of the spreading disease process. Such step has really helped in containing the virus thereby preventing the further casualties. But this lockdown has affected each and every single industry of the country whether be health care or manufacturing or farming, and as a whole GDP rate is on a lower scale due to lack of resources. But the main problem arises when we talk in context of individuals in need. Majority of the population in these developing countries are either farmers or daily wage earners working in factories or numerous small scale industries. But the imposed lockdown had a great impact on farmers as well as the manufacturing industries leaving millions of people jobless with no money. It is indeed true that the number of fatalities with COVID - 19 in these countries are less, but instead the people here are losing their lives due to illness other than COVID - 19.

As most of the government sector hospitals are converted into the COVID - 19 units , the poor people having health issues other than COVID - 19 are not able to afford the treatment cost of private hospitals. Apart from that even many of the private hospitals are made into the COVID - 19 centers. Hence the patients other than infected with COVID - 19 are not being entertained there. There is also the shortage of supply of many essentials drugs, hence the people who are on regular medications for some systemic illness are suffering too, also the poor patients who lost their jobs are not being able to afford their daily medicines.

This ongoing pandemic has affected the cancer patients a lot. Most of the patients is whom the surgery was planned are now being postponed due to this COVID - 19  scenario. The patients who are on chemotherapy are suffering too because of non-availability of various chemotherapeutic drugs.

Talking about the craniofacial anomalies like cleft lip or palate, most of them in our country belong to the poor social economic status. Because of the current scenario they are left with limited resources and it has become difficult for them even to visit the cleft Centre for getting their babies screened. They do not have enough food to feed their babies and provide them proper nutrition leading to various systematic problems too apart from cleft. Even the operated cleft patients are not able to visit the center which might add on to the problems.

In the situations where the deadly COVID - 19 has taken over the entire world , everyone should come together to fight the pandemic. We should also make sure that no person is devoid of basic necessities like food, medicine or the medical treatment. The help should also be extended to the health care professionals in terms of their safety by providing PPE's, etc. With such initiatives, we will surely be able to come out victorious against this CORONAVIRIDAE.