The word we get from the clinic in India is being repeated in news accounts. Read the BBC article that explains how the shutdown has impacted lives in deadly and historic ways. As in the US, people have lost jobs, but what is different in India is the migration within the country that is terribly disruptive. In years past Indians have left their villages for work in cities. Now that construction and other entry-level jobs have ended, workers are leaving the cities in mass. This was described by the Drs. Henry weeks ago. Often traveling by foot or crowded into packed lorries for hundreds of miles, the dangers are profound. In addition, the virus is being mobilized and carried to the villages. News media reports indicate that the government is only supporting Hindu medical services, which is why our support is more critical than ever.
As a nurse, I’m familiar with the social determinants of health and have taught this subject at the college level. Education, poverty, crowding, access to care and other factors impact health in deep ways. We are seeing the results in the US with the data that demonstrate higher incidence of Covid 19 where families are crowded together. Developing countries are especially at risk.
History will declare our effectiveness as mission-minded people with a look back to Covid 19. May the chapter we write show the love of God in extraordinary ways. Dear God, bless these medical missions as they serve you and protect them from all violence and disruption. Give them that peace that passes understanding. Amen