© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

10/1/1994 - Plague in India” Could a Furore Out-break be Prevented? by Bacete Othwonh Bwogo

PLAGUE IN INDIA cOULD A FUTURE OUT BREAK BE PREVENT September 0ctober Dear Peter A friend Delhi people The special place major religious culture It vehicle Ganesh Elephant headed God prosperity wisdom If someone Caught neighborhood would securely without causing harmtoit eventually released freedom another neighborhood place If person killed temple worship replace witha similar But early August status after implicated outbreak bubonic plague Mamala village Maharashtra state And Bombay City authoritiesbegan recruiting Killers Bacete Bwogo ICWA fellow studying primary health delivery Kerala state India Costa Rica Cuba U S A Hiring killers I visiting Bombay August morning I interesting advert killers local newspaper The response unbelievable unprecedented record number applicants exceeding places available school leavers university graduates University graduates I asked myself surprise It employment university degree friend Studying university Bombay You could fortune became killer continued For every killed rupees A killer required minimum At bring office counted number correct burnt immediately ensure fraud occur someone wanted cheat taking killed another killer A successful killer could rupees rupees month fortune crisis Some people other income professions rupees month which doesn Why cities From observation sanitary conditions Delhi Bombay cities truly sustained public health attention proliferation disease vectors various kinds prevented On other Surat Where pneumonic plague killed people September worst record filth country The Frontline magazine October Surat population million S JT lives slums The growth urban GARBAGEGENERATED I 250t0es living facilities civic amenities GARBAGECLEAKED I 000es remain behind Surat SEWAGENERATED I30nont population The roads remain unpaved SEWAGECOLLECTED 70Onts neighborhoods surface water MUNICIPALB IT0cr0 thoroughly polluted sanitation The plague drainage dismal state Eighty mondcapitalofIndiaandone0fthetop 10contributorstothenationalexche percent population Themunicipalcorporationdoes spaces canals river banks nothaveanannual deficit ButSurat roads tracts andother places latrines defecation Early people mostly grants September floodwaters provlde labour carcasSes spaces after water receded Public housing public healthwere OCTOBBR iNDIATODAY municipal priorities Public reaction plague When first plague outbreak through Surat Delhi became masked faces people wearing masks People scared But interesting reaction authorities concerned plague break malicious foreign country And foreign blamed exaggeration The national media Spared blamed irresponsible reporting patriotic enough Introduced outside however I could understand whether presence uncollected garbage overflowing sewers major cities India making foreign country Perhaps reasons plague epidemic really domestic nature health official systematically demolished public health system India total expenditure health percent gross domestic income against World Health Organization recommendation minimum percent ASHESH SHAH Oneofthe swampsoffilth Surat The reaction medical professionals Surat surprising about doctors quarter fraternity other medical workers Medicines disappearing local pharmac especially tetracycline biotic treatment patients plague Badly needed medicines found there black market Tourism This dealt knock In Kochi Cochin Kerala anintensifiedsearch destroymission HOWTHE PLAGIJESPREADS Plague caused bacteria Yersinia which carried fleas When infected bites human transmit disease Pneumonicplagueoccurswhenthediseasespreadstothelungsandcan passed human human through coughing heavy breathing Fie Disease cycle TIME Diagram Joe Lertola TIME OCTOB I10 State hotel occupancy packages abroad cancelled In October while I study visit Alleppey hotel offered accommodation actual summer The epidemic stranded Keralans returning their places Oil count Gulf after international airlines stopped flights India Many workers afraid going their there Back Trivandrum Already poison phosphide markets health conscious state In Trivandrum garbage scattered around other cities relatively clean compared local standard Thanks literacy People reasonably aware hygiene public health One thing I noticed places I visited plague epidemic undermined pride citizens Many India Theresponses philosophical nature never plague could happened anywhere world I wonderful where there nothing Surat I always wondered responses could restoring confidence But Keralan thought plague epidemic could lessing disguise He break pneumonic plague Surat brought focus unsanitary inhuman living conditions The curse plague blessing harder Business India November As I followed plague I thought local press doing reporting They expose under belly issues involved greater detail foreign press The questiOn authorities seriously importance revelations truths about living health conditions cities India Although plague menace reduced I changes better places where plague The status And threat plague other epidemics still there But wouldn beneficial measures prevent future epidemics happening The primary ention obvious Thank Yours sincerely Bacete O Bwogo Received Hanover