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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a...

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a familiar script where an allegedly unassuming public figure embraces personal sacrifice and a reluctant government buckles under mounting moral pressure. But history does not repeat itself on command. Anna Hazare’s fast in 2011 succeeded not because fasting possesses mystical political powers, but because it rode a tidal wave of public anger against corruption. Millions identified with the cause. That equation is conspicuously absent today. The platform that ought to have belonged to students who suffered from the NEET paper leak, or to parents whose children bore its consequences, instead became crowded with the usual constellation of professional activists, ideological campaigners and political fellow travellers. The faces dominating the stage were not those most directly affected by the scandal. A movement demanding educational accountability gradually came to look like another gathering of Delhi’s permanently aggrieved activist class. Even Wangchuk appeared to sense the contradiction. During the protest he reportedly lamented that while he was observing an indefinite fast, many around him were happily eating meals, urging at least a token one-day fast in solidarity. Successful protest movements depend upon authenticity. Once the public begins suspecting that an individual is being deployed less as a leader than as a moral accessory for someone else’s ideological project, sympathy quickly evaporates. Nor does Wangchuk arrive without controversy. Questions have been raised over the cancellation of the FCRA licence of SECMOL, the educational organisation associated with him, and over allegations regarding subsequent foreign funding arrangements. Critics have also challenged aspects of the carefully cultivated public mythology surrounding his achievements, from the origins of the ice-stupa concept to the popular belief that he inspired the protagonist of 3 Idiots. These matters deserve scrutiny on their own merits rather than hagiography or character assassination. The greater failure here surely belongs to the protest’s organisers. The CJP has mistaken optics for momentum and symbolism for public sentiment. Instead of allowing the victims of the NEET scandal to speak for themselves, they attempted to manufacture another national conscience by placing a familiar face at the centre of the stage. Political legitimacy cannot be outsourced to celebrity. Nor can mass movements be assembled from social-media influencers and habitual protesters. Anna Hazare became powerful because the public chose him. Attempts to manufacture his successor merely underline how rare such moments really are.

The Hidden Cost of Care: Biomedical Waste in Hospitals

Every hospital admission, no matter how small, generates waste. As India’s healthcare sector grows, so does the urgency to manage biomedical waste responsibly.

In my last week‘s article, I discussed Sunita’s hospitalisation and the subsequent generation of biomedical waste. Her treatment involved intravenous administration of drugs. So a plastic IV set was used. After the procedure was complete, the IV set was discarded in the trash bin. The drugs worked, and she was discharged from the hospital in a couple of days.


However, if she had had further complications and if surgery were to be performed, much more waste would be generated. Sunita is just a representative example. Just like her, whenever any patient is admitted to the hospital for treatment, waste generation begins.


The type and the volume of waste generated depend on the nature of the treatment prescribed by the concerned doctors. However, the quantity of waste also relies on the growth of the healthcare sector.


So, let us first review this sector.


In India, the healthcare sector has become one of the largest sectors, both in terms of revenue and employment. As of FY24, this sector has employed 7.5 million people. In the current year, the CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) is expected to rise to 22.5 per cent, up from 17 per cent in 2022.


The government aims to develop India as a global healthcare hub. The Indian healthcare market, which was valued at US$ 110 billion in FY16, is now projected to reach US$ 638 billion by FY25. India’s public expenditure on healthcare is expected to be 1.9 per cent of GDP in FY26, compared to 2.5 per cent in FY25, as per the Economic Survey 2024-25.


The sector is witnessing unprecedented growth. Private equity and venture capital investments surpassed US$ 1 billion in the first five months of FY24, marking a 220 per cent increase from the previous year.


India benefits from the availability of a large pool of well-trained medical professionals. This sector is anticipated to grow further, creating over 6.3 million additional jobs by 2030.


The government has allocated Rs. 99,858 crore (US$ 11.50 billion) to the healthcare sector in the Union Budget 2025–26. This allocation is meant for the development, maintenance, and enhancement of the country’s healthcare system. It reflects a 9.78 per cent increase from the previous allocation of Rs. 90,958 crore (US$ 10.47 billion) in FY25. To boost the country’s healthcare infrastructure, the Indian government is planning to introduce a credit incentive programme worth Rs 50,000 crores (US$ 6.8 billion).


Several factors are driving this growth, including rising income levels, an aging population, growing health awareness, and changing attitudes toward preventive healthcare.


There is also a significant increase in medical tourism. The lower cost of medical services in India attracts patients from around the world. To promote medical tourism, the government is extending the e-medical visa facility to citizens of 156 countries.


Moreover, India has emerged as a hub for R&D activities for international players due to the relatively low cost of clinical research.


Growing health awareness, precautionary treatments, and improved diagnostics are also leading to increased hospitalisations.


While we, the citizens and the government, should feel proud of the growth and revenue in the healthcare sector, we must not ignore the rising quantity of biomedical waste it generates.


More on this in my next article.

Until then, have a good weekend.

(Source: IBEF-India Brand Equity Foundation)


(The writer is an environmentalist.)

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