Himachal Diary

Needed same yardstick, not selective targeting

The news of a minister’s daughter, a BJP leader, getting Covid vaccine despite allegedly being ineligible because of age criteria made big headlines in social and print media apart from electronic channels. It is now reliably learnt that a report has been sought from Chief Medical Officer (Shimla) over the issue. “What she did was certainly wrong if she was not eligible but then what about the wives and family members of some very senior officers and staff of the Health Department, who got the jab when it was only being administered to those above 65 or those having co-morbidities,” remarked a social worker. He asserted that the same yardstick should be applied to all and not selective targeting.

Politicians will be politicians!

It is heartening to see that many politicians across the state have stepped forward to extend a helping hand in fight against Covid. However, while a majority of them are genuinely extending the help but there seem some black sheep who offer to help with much fanfare. However, when it comes to fulfilling their commitment, they chicken out or haggle which has become the talking point in the Health Department and in Kangra district. Someone said aptly: Politicians will after all remain politicians!

Evasive health officials

Dodging media queries has become the latest mantra of health officials. In Solan it seems the Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal is leading by example. At least this is what one assessed during a media briefing organised by the minister ahead of a Covid review meeting. The manner in which even key issues like lack of functional ventilators were dodged left one wonder how serious the government was in tackling the pandemic. While the state government has constituted media committee to provide information to the media, in Solan it seems there are awards for parrying media queries.

Contributed by Pratibha Chauhan and Ambika Sharma