It is official now. There is an outbreak of the deadly Japanese Encephalitis in the valley districts of the state. According to reports, the epidemic has already claimed nine lives, all children. Many more with symptoms suspected to be of the disease are in the hospital. Yet, the alarm level of the authorities seems muted. No publicity campaigns, through posters, through public address systems, government owned radio and television, and through newspaper advertisements. The general public need to be informed of what the disease is, how it is spread, how it can be avoided and as importantly, if contacted, what is the best approach to a speedy cure etc. These government campaigns are not only to educate the public but also to give them the confidence the government has taken stock of things and is solidly behind them. In the absence of this, not only would the public be in danger of not doing the right thing at the right time and thus suffer casualties, but also rely on rumours and unreliable advices which ultimately may lead to preventable panic. If the government feels it does not have the budget to spare for such a widespread campaign, at least it must use the government owned medium to begin the exercise promptly before the epidemic takes more toll. But we see no reason why government must not spare any effort, or rupee as the case may be, if it is by way of trying honestly to contain the epidemic before it takes on devastating proportion. It is true in the unending mayhem which has become Manipur’s staple, the place has been benumbed to news of death, but it will do well for the government to pinch itself awake and be reminded that every life, even if it belonged to the most ordinary and underprivileged section of society, is precious, and protecting each one of them is the government’s most primary responsibility.

The encephalitis epidemic is almost becoming a periodic affair suggesting that the carriers of virus or bacteria (whichever it is, we are not sure as there have been very little information made available by the government departments responsible for the dissemination) is present in the state. If the government was concerned enough, it would have sought out the causes a long time ago and taken remedial action, be it in terms of vaccinating these carriers of the disease. From the sketchy information we have, pigs are the secondary hosts, and hence the occurrence of the disease may have to do with the growing number of piggery in the valley areas. If so, the government should by now have taken long term measures, including perhaps disallowing the rearing of the animals in close vicinity of congested human habitations etc. Now that another epidemic is upon us already, thought of such measures will have to be kept in abeyance for some time so that the focus of the battle is not allowed to stray anywhere away from the effort to control the spread of the current outbreak. Apart from treating the already infected, the government must now in a concerted manner make the effort to identify where the incubating grounds of the germ are, and then totally sanitise them. Care must also be taken so that the disease does not spread to the remote hill districts where health care facilities or consciousness is much less than in the valley districts, thus multiplying the deadliness of the epidemic manifolds. If and when this has been accomplished, the government must not relapse into complacent inactivity that the job has been done and instead begin working out the long terms strategies to prevent the return of the epidemic.

Let there be a general reorientation of the understanding of development. Development cannot be just about motor cars and air conditioned apartments. Its most fundamental indexes will have to be the quality of public health, nutritional standards, quality and spread of education etc. On such a scale, Manipur probably would fare very poorly. Nutritionally perhaps it is not too bad, thanks to a manageable population size and the rich paddy fields in the valley as well as an abundance of forest resources in the hills. In terms of public health and education however, the less said the better. Dusty roads compelling all to breath dust particles daily, no safe drinking water, abysmal government schools and colleges and over and above this is the atrocious and obvious lack of government concern even in the face of epidemics taking tolls of children. This lack of government sensitivity is blatant considering that even as the newspapers have begun the body count of encephalitis, there is an Assembly in session which has woken up to the developing crisis only now having given the issue at least a token discussion in today’s sitting.