Hindi English Translation || Editorial || An honest reckoning: On simmering dispute between India and WHO about COVID deaths

An honest reckoning: On simmering dispute between India and WHO about COVID deaths

India must get experts to independently investigate excess deaths

The visit of Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, to Gujarat for the Global Ayush (the acronym of the medical systems that are being practiced in India such as Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. These systems are based on definite medical philosophies and represent a way of healthy living with established concepts on prevention of diseases and promotion of health) Investment and Innovation Summit (बैठक, सम्मेलन) coincides with a simmering (burn, fume, rage, smoulder (typically, a suppressed strong emotion)) dispute between India and WHO on its forthcoming (आगामी, आसन्न, आने वाला) report on excess COVID-19 deaths between 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the organisation had computed three million deaths globally from the pandemic (वैश्विक महामारी), much more than the 1.8 million officially reported by countries. It was due to (इस कारण, की वजह से) update this estimate for 2021 by the year-end but could not, and reports suggest, because of ‘stalling (obstructing, impeding, interfering, hindering, hampering, blocking thwarting, inhibiting, stopping)’ by India. A report in The New York Times claims that WHO estimates India accounted for (के लिये उत्तरदयी होना, बनाना, प्रस्तुत करना) four million deaths, or about eight times the current official toll (the total number of deaths/casualties (from a disease)) of 5.2 lakh. The report drew a sharp response (प्रतिक्रिया, उत्तर) from the Centre, with the Health Ministry criticising WHO’s use of mathematical extrapolation (prediction, reckoning, estimation) and assumptions (कल्पना, अनुमान लगाना, हिसाब लगाना) that did not capture ground realities (जमीनी हकीकत, व्यावहारिक स्थिति) in India and its reliance (निर्भरता, भरोसा) on ‘unverified’ data sources. WHO is set to (ready, prepared, organized, equipped) release its estimates for most countries in the near future (निकट भविष्य में, शीघ्र ही) but the disclosure (revelation, declaration, announcement; report, release) of India’s displeasure (अप्रसन्नता, असंतोष) again shines the light on a long-standing (दीर्घकालिक, लगातार, निरंतर) discomfort (बेचैनी, असहजता) with independent estimates of the death toll. A high death toll undermines (weaken, damage, impair, mar, spoil, ruin; reduce, diminish, impede, hinder) India’s official discourse that it has performed better than several western countries with better developed (विकसित, विस्तृत, परिष्कृत) health infrastructure (the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc).

While India has traditionally (well knowingly, famously, proverbially) been a laggard (slower, delayer, snail, loiterer, lingerer (than expected)) in health statistics, largely (mostly, mainly, generally) due to the wide disparity (inconsistency, imbalance, inequality) in health services across States, it has, in recent years, improved medical registration of deaths to as much as (approximately) 86% in 2018. States such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Mizoram, for instance (as an example), have nearly 100% death registration; but even in these States, the percentage of certified deaths ascribing (attribute, assign, connect/associate with) a cause (reason, grounds, basis) is lower. States such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have less than 50% and even fewer certified deaths. The infectious (transmissive, contagious, communicable, transmissible, spreading), pervasive (extensive, widespread, prevalent, ubiquitous, omnipresent, present everywhere) nature of the pandemic continues to strain (overtax, overwork, overburden, make too many demands on, exert excessively, push to the limit) and overwhelm (overload, beset, overburden) the most resilient (strong, sturdy, stout/well built, durable) health systems and there will never be an exact count of the toll. While it is possible that researchers could use indirect methods that may overestimate the toll, it is indefensible (unjustified, baseless, illogical/irrational) on India’s part to maintain that its official estimates offer a more accurate picture (impression, view, notion). While it may be years before the true numbers are known, India should view death estimates not as an indictment (charge, accusation, allegation) but as a marker (notice, warning sign) for future generations that they may be better equipped (prepare, enable, facilitate; provide, grant, present) and so invest appropriately to improve preparedness (readiness) against inevitable (unavoidable, inescapable, bound to happen, sure to happen, unpreventable, certain, predestined, fated) blights (affliction, scourge, bane, curse, misfortune, woe, calamity, trouble, ordeal, tribulation). India must also officially commission (engage, charge, employ, appoint, enlist (an organization to do something)) a team of experts, supply (provide, furnish, give) them with the best available data, and have them independently investigate excess deaths, publishing their methods and numbers, without fear or favour (favouritism, bias, partiality, unfair preference, prejudice, partisanship, one-sidedness), in reputed (well known, widely known; respected, highly regarded) journals (publication, magazine, newspaper). This would go a long way (will be very successful) in burnishing (improve, enhance, augment/make better) India’s health credentials (identities, qualities; achievement, experience, knowledge).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.reckoning (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गणना, अनुमान
English Meaning - calculation, estimation, computation.

2.summit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बैठक, सम्मेलन
English Meaning - meeting, conference, conclave.

3.forthcoming (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - आगामी, आसन्न, आने वाला
English Meaning - imminent, impending, coming, approaching, advancing, nearing.

4.pandemic (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वैश्विक महामारी
English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

5.due to (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - इस कारण, की वजह से
English Meaning - because of, owing to, on account of, as a result of.

6.account for (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - के लिये उत्तरदयी होना, बनाना, प्रस्तुत करना
English Meaning - constitute, make up, comprise, form, compose, represent.

7.response (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिक्रिया, उत्तर
English Meaning - reaction, reply.

8.assumption (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्पना, अनुमान लगाना, हिसाब लगाना
English Meaning - guesswork, guessing, reckoning; speculation, supposition, presumption.

9.ground reality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जमीनी हकीकत, व्यावहारिक स्थिति
English Meaning - practical condition/situation.

10.reliance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निर्भरता, भरोसा
English Meaning - dependence.

11.in the near future (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - निकट भविष्य में, शीघ्र ही
English Meaning - soon, shortly.

12.displeasure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अप्रसन्नता, असंतोष
English Meaning - dissatisfaction, disfavour, upset, disgruntlement, discontentment.

13.long-standing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दीर्घकालिक, लगातार, निरंतर
English Meaning - persistent, continuing (for a long time); permanent, long-lasting, enduring, long-term.

14.discomfort (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बेचैनी, असहजता
English Meaning - embarrassment, discomfiture, unease, uneasiness.

15.developed (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विकसित, विस्तृत, परिष्कृत
English Meaning - advanced; elaborated, sophisticated.

16.simmer (verb)

English Meaning - burn, fume, rage, smoulder (typically, a suppressed strong emotion).

17.simmering (adjective)

English Meaning - burning, fuming, raging, smouldering.

18.AYUSH (noun)

English Meaning - the acronym of the medical systems that are being practiced in India such as Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. These systems are based on definite medical philosophies and represent a way of healthy living with established concepts on prevention of diseases and promotion of health.

19.Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) (noun)

English Meaning - The Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit offers a world of possibilities with ample innovation, investment and growth opportunities in the upcoming sector by sharing new concepts, research outcomes and exciting engagement plans with stakeholders to build a continuum of result-oriented outcomes. The event has been scheduled in multiple parts from 20-22 April 2022 at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, Gujarat to drive rich content while advocating global understanding of Ayush education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and sustained health across all Ayush systems.

20.stalling (noun)

English Meaning - obstructing, impeding, interfering, hindering, hampering, blocking thwarting, inhibiting, stopping.

21.toll (noun)

English Meaning - the total number of deaths/casualties (from a disease).

22.extrapolation (noun)

English Meaning - prediction, reckoning, estimation.

23.set to (adjective)

English Meaning - ready, prepared, organized, equipped

24.disclosure (noun)

English Meaning - revelation, declaration, announcement; report, release.

25.shine a light on (phrase)

English Meaning - to make something clear or easier to understand by giving more details.

26.undermine (verb)

English Meaning - weaken, damage, impair, mar, spoil, ruin; reduce, diminish, impede, hinder.

27.infrastructure (noun)

English Meaning - the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc.

28.traditionally (adverb)

English Meaning - well knowingly, famously, proverbially.

29.laggard (noun/adjective)

English Meaning - slower, delayer, snail, loiterer, lingerer (than expected).

30.largely (adverb)

English Meaning - mostly, mainly, generally.

31.disparity (noun)

English Meaning - inconsistency, imbalance, inequality.

32.as much as (phrase)

English Meaning - approximately.

33.for instance (phrase)

English Meaning - as an example.

34.ascribe (verb)

English Meaning - attribute, assign, connect/associate with.

35.cause (noun)

English Meaning - reason, grounds, basis.

36.infectious (adjective)

English Meaning - transmissive, contagious, communicable, transmissible, spreading.

37.pervasive (adjective)

English Meaning - extensive, widespread, prevalent, ubiquitous, omnipresent, present everywhere.

38.strain (verb)

English Meaning - overtax, overwork, overburden, make too many demands on, exert excessively, push to the limit.

39.overwhelm (verb)

English Meaning - overload, beset, overburden.

40.resilient (adjective)

English Meaning - strong, sturdy, stout/well built, durable.

41.indefensible (adjective)

English Meaning - unjustified, baseless, illogical/irrational.

42.picture (noun)

English Meaning - impression, view, notion.

43.indictment (noun)

English Meaning - charge, accusation, allegation.

44.marker (noun)

English Meaning - notice, warning sign.

45.equip (verb)

English Meaning - prepare, enable, facilitate; provide, grant, present.

46.preparedness (noun)

English Meaning - readiness.

47.inevitable (adjective)

English Meaning - unavoidable, inescapable, bound to happen, sure to happen, unpreventable, certain, predestined, fated.

48.blight (noun)

English Meaning - affliction, scourge, bane, curse, misfortune, woe, calamity, trouble, ordeal, tribulation.

49.commission (verb)

English Meaning - engage, charge, employ, appoint, enlist (an organization to do something).

50.supply (verb)

English Meaning - provide, furnish, give.

51.favour (noun)

English Meaning - favouritism, bias, partiality, unfair preference, prejudice, partisanship, one-sidedness.

52.reputed (adjective)

English Meaning - well known, widely known; respected, highly regarded;

53.journal (noun)

English Meaning - publication, magazine, newspaper.

54.go a long way (phrase)

English Meaning - will be very successful.

55.burnish (verb)

English Meaning - improve, enhance, augment/make better.

56.credentials (noun)

English Meaning - identities, qualities; achievement, experience, knowledge.