Question

Who make up the under-served or vulnerable populations in your area? If you are a practicing health care provider now, this question can apply you where you work. If not, who fits this definition in your geographic area? Also, why is it important to address these populations from an administration perspective?

Answer 1

The poor and illiterate are generally the worst sufferers in all times, be it during epidemic or floods, or any other natural calamity. The current response is in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has worst affected the poor who live in shanties and can not afford the social distancing because many of them share a small room, in which keeping diatance is not possible at all. These are industrial workers residing in a ghetto on the outskirts of the city. Some of them are daily wagers while others do meagre work to earn just as much as sufficient to lead a bare basic level of life. They are not literate enough to understand and follow the rules, too disconnected to have an information about recent developments to keep awake and agile and too ignored by the civic authorities. The outbreak of disease has been deadly for these people who suffer from abject poverty, are not covered under any nsurance or welfare scheme and have low immunity levels, making them most vulnerable.

The administration needs to address this issue on priority, because,being unaware ( and also helpless) , they are least likely to follow the protective measures to keep the virus at bay, and would be among the first ones to be affected. Since these people also come into regular contact with other sections of society in form of workers, household help, maids, hawkers etc., they are capable of spreading the infection very fast in all sections of society. Their vulnerability is also the siren of danger for others, as well as the administration which needs to start from this section to avoid dealing with a huge problem.