Swine Flu

Last THU I had to travel to Mumbai for a project meeting. Family members were not happy. Pune is the hot spot of Swine Flu. My mother's first air travel to a relative's place in Pune is cancelled. Mumbai is not too far. And it is also in news. However, this was an important meeting and few other from IITkgp were also travelling.

At IIT Bombay, we did not see any panic. Neither the people on the street or airport appeared perturbed. The life seemed to be all normal.

This morning I read an interesting article on this written by none other than Swaminathan S A Aiyar (Times of India), one of my favourites, mostly for his contrarian view of life. He says, I quote -

"Swine flu has killed 21Indians so far, and may soon claim hundreds, even thousands. That is a tragedy. Even so, swine flu remains a very minor cause of death, far behind other diseases that kill millions. The panic generated by the media is unwarranted, and is worsening health outcomes. "

He is armed with statistics.

"(In India) we find that 1.37 million people die annually of respiratory diseases and infections, 7,20,000 of diarrhea, and 5,40,000 of tuberculosis. These are staggering numbers. They imply that on an average day, 3,753 people die of respiratory diseases and infections, 1,973 of diarrhea, and 1,479 of tuberculosis."

Did we know that or cared to know? This was from a 2001-2003 report by Registrar General. Why media does not take note of it? Swami has a major point when he says -

"Seen in this light, 20-odd swine flu deaths are almost laughably trivial. I do not laugh, because every death is a tragedy. But i am infinitely sadder for the millions whose plight has been swept out of public view, and is actually being worsened by upper-class panic.

Make no mistake, swine flu panic is substantially an upper class worry. Why do the media overflow with news of swine flu while ignoring other diseases that kill thousands every day? Because those everyday diseases are the problems of the poorer half of India, and the media target the upper half. Some upper class folk do get asthma or TB, but they are quickly treated and rarely die of these diseases. The millions who die come from the bottom half, lacking access to doctors and medicines. They die so regularly in millions that their deaths are no longer considered news. "

Swami may appear harsh but let us not miss the sympathy in his tone for those people who do not get it and need it more than others.

"Then along comes swine flu. It is a new disease, and that itself commands media attention. The richer half is terrified that not even its money and access to doctors provides safety. As a disease carried by air travellers, swine flu is a quintessential elite concern. Elite panic soon spreads to lower rungs of society, as the media project a new apocalypse. This is true across the world. Globally, swine flu has infected 1,77,000 people and killed 1,126. The numbers are trivial compared with deaths from malaria, respiratory disease or diarrhea. Yet, the global media focus on swine flu. "