COVID19 has left us with many questions.Millions are infected and innumerable dying. We find that even the best healthcare facilities, best economic status and best medical system are not able to prevent its spread. The world is struggling to find a solution and hopefully a vaccine comes up in near future. Still, it seems that there’s an inadequacy somewhere. The questions remain – are we missing on something? Despite the availability of best technologies and best lifestyle facilities ever, are our bodies and immune systems not fit to face infections? Are we moving in the right direction or are there some loopholes in our healthcare system that need to be fixed?
Let’s see some important historical eras –
The Industrialization Era –
During the industrialization era, there was a rapid and indiscreet urbanization, which gave way to indiscipline and hectic lifestyles. The demand for quick-fix solutions for the novel-emergencies of the urban world became a necessity. This led to the evolution and proliferation of allopathic system of medicine – the only healthcare system for emergency managements. Crisis lifestyle started taking solace in crisis medicine, and it continues to do so. But the fact is that non-emergencies and chronic diseases consume a major part of world health economy. Chronic diseases gradually drain out the strength of the body, weaken the immune system, and make them susceptible to all kind of diseases.
The Present Era –
It is observed that body’s innate capabilities to keep itself immune are declining day by day. A ‘Mind-Body healthcare system’ like Ayurveda considers building up immunity to be a step-by-step process, in which body and mind are allowed a space over a period of time, to strengthen the immune system. This is up to us to analyze if we are failing to provide this required time for our mind-body system? Are our compulsive lifestyles and healthcare system driving us crazy? This needs introspection.
The over dependence on Western system of medicine has broken the backbone of human health. It’s true that in the present situation, emergency management is the only option; and for that allopathic system is the only system that helps. But, keeping aside the short-term gains and a closed mindset, the world needs to open up to other systems of healthcare. Reloading health concepts is essential. It becomes the duty of the professionals of the respective healthcare systems to make people around them aware about their systems. This is one of the chief learning we can take from this pandemic of COVID-19 and prepare ourselves for positive steps towards healing humanity.
Post-COVID19 Era –
The world will require a major revolution in health sector in the post-COVID19 era. There’s already an overflow of information, and the educated people are looking for answers. Blind acceptance of one-sided version of any system of healthcare does not provide the correct answers. It is to be understood that all the available systems of healthcare have their share of advantages as well as disadvantages. None is perfect or could claim to cure all diseases. Yet each one can cure some and help some others. Post-COVID-19 period will need an integration of multiple systems of healthcare.
Analysis-
I strongly feel that our children, at least, must be given the opportunity to choose the right system of healthcare at the right time. For this they need to be made aware of the already existing healthcare systems available for them. For this, as indicated earlier, it becomes the duty of the professionals of the various healthcare systems to make people around them aware about their respective systems. This is one of the chief learning we can take from this pandemic and prepare ourselves for the Post-COVID19 era.
Drnilima's Blog 