Times of distress have shaken the entire country. Delhi’s Apollo Hospital has been in limelight for its latest attack on doctors by attendants of a 67-year old woman who died in Emergency ward due to shortage of ICU beds. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj witnessed one such instance where a family beat up doctors for not being able to provide beds for COVID patients.
Many such events have been happening across the country.
All this unrest amongst people is inevitable. This is clearly derived from the uncertainty linked to the Pandemic. There’s fear in the air. People are losing jobs. Homes. Lives. An average of 3000 deaths daily means at least four times that number lost someone dear. 3 lakh cases a day means at least 12 lakh people who just met someone who tested positive.
From tuning on the News Channel, we are led to believe that the world is stepping towards a future where loss of life is common. One thing that most leaders are not helping with, in these nerve-racking times, is helping people cope mentally with the virus. Managing emotions is the need of the hour.
Minds at peace will invent means to peace.
Strong minds will lead us out of this perpetual war. Minds of healthcare workers, police personnel, bureaucrats. So what can the government do to strengthen these minds?
One step toward mental health can greatly change the game. The government should take care of their intellects who are likely to lead us out of this disarray. Smart people need an actively, and peacefully, functioning mind to make it happen. It is hard to achieve that if this cloud of endless bad news and hopeless contemplating continue.
Many would argue that there are many other grave issues at hand but it’s important to reverse engineer and understand many of those matters will be dealt with when we have people working in harmony. Energies focused in the right direction can create synergy strong enough to put up a strong fight against the virus. On both political and personal level, encourage conversations around creative thinking and problem solving rather than complaining and blame games.
For all its effort, many of which are commendable, Punjab could do better with a helpline number for people dealing with Covid related stress. Sense of Community could save the day. Encouraging community building works because it always helps to know we are not alone. Hearing other’s stories instil both compassion and gratitude. A healthy mind will rarely have an unhealthy body.
Positivity, hope and communication can pull us out. The government can greatly help by setting up influential helplines that boost Punjab's morale. Counselors and Psychologists can volunteer. Virtual support groups can be set up. Someone’s advice could save another some pennies, worries and even lives.
Let’s make history not just by witnessing something extraordinarily devastating but also by ending it.