The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has quickly spread to various countries. As on May 8th, 2020, in India 56342 positive cases of corona had been reported. India with a population of more than 1-35 billion had difficulty in controlling the transmission of coronavirus among its population. Multiple strategies became necessary to handle this outbreak. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India raised awareness about this outbreak and to take all necessary actions to control the spread of COVID-19. Indian Government implemented a 55-day lockdown throughout the country to reduce the transmission of the virus. Schools and colleges had shifted to alternative mode of teachinglearning-evaluation and certification. Online mode became popular during these days. India was not prepared for a sudden onslaught of such a crisis due to limited infrastructure in terms of human resource, money and other facilities needed for taking care of this situation. This disease did not spare anybody irrespective of caste, creed, religion on the one hand and 'have and have not' on the other. Deficiencies in hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, ambulances, hospital staff and crematorium were the most crucial aspects. You are a hospital administrator in a public hospital at the time when coronavirus had attacked large number of people and patients were pouring into hospital day in and day out.
If yours is a private hospital, whether your justification and decision would remain same as that of a public hospital?
While the humanitarian imperative to save lives would remain universal, my justifications and decisions would shift somewhat in a private hospital. The core ethical duty of care to patients would largely be the same, and I would still expect staff to step up. However, resource allocation might be influenced by different financial models or patient capacity. There might be pressure to prioritize paying patients, although during a pandemic, social responsibility and reputation would heavily influence decisions. The fundamental commitment to public health would perhaps be less explicit than in a public institution, but the ethical demand to act during a widespread crisis would still be strong.
Answered By:
Sakshi Negi
Sakshi Negi is a Delhi-based journalist and content specialist with expertise in educational content and digital media, focusing particularly on government exam preparation and career guidance. With a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from NRAI School of Mass Communication and her background as a Kendriya Vidyalaya alumna, she brings unique insights into the Indian education system and government sector opportunities.
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