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Statement on post-3rd May 2020 measures against Covid-19 Pandemic

The Central Government has persisted with the Lockdown as the main, if not, the only strategy against the spread of COVID-19. Underway since March 25 th , this lock-down has seen two extensions, one on April 20 th and now again on May 3 rd . These one-size-fits-all country-wide lock-downs are badly planned and poorly implemented with measures imposed on the country by the Government using centralizing powers under the Disaster Management Act.

Read full statement- CLICK HERE

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Statement on the role of the Private Health Sector during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Indian government should learn its lessons from the failure of the for-profit private sector and PMJAY to provide any meaningful response during the COVID-19 epidemic and stop promoting the private healthcare sector. Annual health budgets need to increase and the Government should invest money in adding to the capacity of public healthcare facilities and infrastructure instead of giving subsidies to the private sector. This crisis should be a turning point in India’s health policy making, and bring back the centrality of the public health system in ensuring universal health care.

To Read Full Statement in English- CLICK HERE
To Read Full Statement in Hindi    – CLICK HERE

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Position Paper- Health Workers’ Rights In The Time Of COVID-19

Previous outbreaks of highly infectious communicable diseases have demonstrated that public health outcomes are significantly improved when labour rights are respected, and trade unions are able to effectively represent workers actually exposed and potentially exposed to the disease. The active involvement of health workers’ representatives in government decision-making is necessary to safeguard workplace safety and health and ensure the cost of the crisis is not borne by healthcare personnel.

To read Full Position Paper- CLICK HERE

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Weekly Update 13 April: The Situation and the Peoples Health Movement response to COVID19

This is the third weekly update by JSA-AIPSN. It follows the first JSA-AIPSN Update of March 23rd, 2020 and the second JSA-AIPSN Update of April 2nd, 2020.

This update thus covers developments of the last two weeks. In this document we provide an update on the

  1. Epidemiology of the corona virus disease.
  2. Comment on the new public health strategy unveiled this week by Government of India and then discuss the considerations going into the lifting of the lock-down and our position on it.
  3. We then present the weekly update of our four working groups looking at: access to essential technologies.
  4. Health system preparedness.
  5. Lockdown restrictions and concerns of rights and ethics.
  6. Crisis in livelihoods and government response to it.

To read the full weekly update- CLICK HERE

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Proposed Extension of Nationwide Lockdown : Concerns and Demands by JSA and AIPSN

Efforts are being made by the Centre and different States to prepare the health system for the larger number of cases that are expected in the coming  weeks, discussions are underway on whether the present lockdown should be extended, perhaps till the end of April. In this context, a detailed review of the present lockdown, its achievements and weaknesses, particularly regarding implementation, is called for.

Read Full Statement in English- CLICK HERE

Read Full Statement in Hindi- CLICK HERE

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Press Release: COVID19 Epidemic on World Health day

On the occasion of World Health Day, JSA and AIPSN seek to draw attention to the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and the Government’s response to it. There are three inter-related crises at play at this time:

– a public health crisis due to gaps in the COVID19 strategy
– a high level of stigmatization and brutality in the anti-COVID19 measures
– a social and economic crisis precipitated by the nation-wide lockdown

Read Full Press Release- CLICK HERE