HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT
THE PANDEMIC'S PUG - MARKS Perhaps one of the most devastating effects of the ongoing pandemic is on our mental health. As we shuffle through the nitty gritties of new ways of living, and for many a bare survival, we need to cast a serious look at our psyches and re-build / re-new our coping mechanisms towards a ‘healthier living’. Gurrit K Sethi, Strategic Advisor, Global Health Services, Global Strategic Analysis
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he lockdown opened a lot many different vistas for all – in different walks of life, and, within that, of different aspects of life. Professionals, Industrialists, Business people, Daily wagers, Students, Homemakers etc, each of them was affected hugely. While there was a lot of family bonding and together time that came, with this also came many fears – of illness, of death, of loosing jobs, of reduced earnings, of lost time and more. Also seen is a big rise in number of abuse cases reported of all sorts. And these negatives transcend all walks of life. The beauty and the beast stand together.
The beauty is that the pandemic brought back to life coping mechanisms in form of family bonding for many. Kids got the desired attention at home from both parents, many of the elderly living alone in their respective homes or those in assisted living centres came back together again, the importance of being together as a family was heightened. As everybody worked / studied from home, a new respect and understanding came by. Home chores got equally divided and we did see many a memes around this. For many, yes, this is the scene, a beautiful scene.
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A SI A N H O S P I T A L & H EA LT HCA R E M A N AGE M E N T
While we understood the importance of home, there also were reported increased instances of abuse of different forms. Culturally, this is something for all of us to ponder upon. These existed earlier, however, the numbers grew as we got free-er, or is it that this is an expression of frustration, frustration of supressed emotions, unmet needs or those not recognised. These are grave issues and need to be looked at and healed. Healed not just from a perspective of the pandemic, but because this is reflective of habits of a social group. This social group needs to first address and recognise the ‘needs’ – personal needs as well as social needs that overlap and are suppressed. This suppression creates a cacophony of frustrations expressed illicitly or in
a fashion not acceptable in the realms of decency. Sex based discriminations, abuse and violence, other forms of domestic violence towards kids and elders, reflect a need to restructure the basics of our social existence. Add to this the economic frustrations. These gaps in the social existence call for a mental re-orientation and a dire need to recreate a mental wellness paradigm. This re-orientation cannot happen by enforcement of law but rather through a movement of ‘wellbeing’ of the body, mind and heart.
There are the fears, of course, which are omnipresent otherwise but brought forth with force because of the pandemic. These fears are well grounded in the need for survival and living. Daily
IS S UE - 53, 2021
