Dear Friend of IVC,
I thought in the current difficult times all over the world I should reach out and give you a brief report on our ongoing IVC projects in India. I returned from India last month, on March 7th, to be specific. It was my shortest visit (2 months and 3 days) to India in the last 20 years. In previous years I stayed at the project site for 4 to 6 months out of the year. This year I could only receive a 3-month India Visa, which expired on March the 8th.
It was a very busy time for us in India; trying to complete 5 months of work in half the time. We completed the new classroom construction and furnished it. This is excellent news because it means we will be able to welcome a new class in the 2020 school year.
While I was worried and sad that I was leaving so early, our early departure ended up working out in our favor. Only a week after our departure the Indian government shut down all travel as a coronavirus prevention measure. At about the same time the US government stopped entry into the country from Europe and Asia.
We were happy to make it home with no additional delays or restrictions. Since our return to Minnesota my wife and I have been self-quarantined in our home in Bloomington. We have done well, so far. As we struggle with the new daily reality of what "stay at home" orders look like in the US I wanted to share with you a glimpse of what is happening in India with similar orders in place. I think it will help you become more aware of the freedoms, services and luxuries we take for granted during this time.
As of April 7th, press reports from India and coronavirus websites in the US indicate 5000 to 6000 people infected and 150 to 165 deaths. These figures are unbelievably low for a country of approximately 1.3 billion people. Testing facilities are scarce and medical awareness in India is low. Adding to that is that parts of the population have no access to medical facilities. So, no one can tell what the real numbers are. They are probably much higher than are being reported! Also, because this disease can be asymptotic, no one knows the true story.
The Indian Government seems to have taken pretty drastic measures in controlling travel and also distancing between people. Shops, restaurants, hospitals and most businesses have closed. Yes, you read this right, hospitals have closed, except for emergencies, can you imagine? There are police everywhere, checking, arresting and punishing people if found on the street. These actions seem to be helping to contain the virus, but at what price?
I have heard stories from the villages and have read press stories from India that show the dark side of the government's actions. This is what people are saying: The government action was sudden, brutal, draconian and cruel, with no planning, no safety net and allowing no time for the people to prepare. The Prime minister gave a four-hour notice to India’s entire population of 1.3 billion people for a 3-week lockdown. Millions had no time to get back to their villages before transport and work shut down. This prompted a wave of mass migration across India, as people started walking for hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles.
The Adiwasi community, sort of Indian gypsies, living in our area have been hit very hard by all the regulations. They have no homes and no steady income. They don’t have enough to eat and requested our help. In a phone conversation with our manager last week, we decided to help this community with what we can. IVC staff distributed fresh vegetables, potatoes, fruits and biscuits to members of this community in an effort to support our surrounding communities through health initiatives.
I have been on the phone daily with our IVC staff in India. Luckily, no one there has been infected, so far. IVC hospital and prevention programs were shut down two weeks ago in consultation with the local authorities, except for the 24/7 emergency service that has stayed open. IVC attending staff (doctors, nurses, pharmacists) are taking all necessary precautions, on their own as well as those recommended by the government. About 70 % of our staff is on paid leave until April 14th. Beyond that, we will do what the government decides for the country. The lockdown probably will need to last longer than the current 21 days, if it is to prove effective.
I am confident, as we all are, that this will pass.
Please stay well and healthy!
Abul Sharah
