Kashmir was forced into a digital blackout in August 2019. This was far in advance to the unprecedented nation-wide lockdown implemented by the Indian government due to COVID-19. The disputed region emerged out of a blackout in February 2020 of this year. The region saw its mobile phone services restored after three and a half months, in addition to slow speed (2G) internet. While in India people are forcefully obeying the Prime Minister’s call for a lockdown, for the people in Kashmir the lockdown was simply nothing new.

What remains concerning is the lack of information that the Kashmir region is receiving about COVID-19. Information about this virus is vital in treating people especially at a time when the disease can easily spread and affect people at a large scale in a short period of time. Hospitals in the region have a shortage of doctors and paramedics, with health facilities lacking the resources to combat this crisis.

HOSPITAL DILEMMAS

The recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) norm for doctor-to-patient ratio is one doctor for 1000 people, whereas in Kashmir, it is one doctor to 3060 people. There is a requirement of 3200 nurses, but Kashmir only has 1290 nurses, a shortage in the region. Former principle of the Government Medical College (GMC) said that, ‘If it happens here, we will be devastated. We will die like cattle.’ The doctor further stated that Kashmir’s healthcare system is ‘ill-equipped to deal with normal things in normal times…it will crush us and devastate us, unless the community intervenes.’

Doctors and paramedical staff in Kashmir have complained about being under-resourced with a lack of sanitisers, masks and gloves. A recent report saw that a family member of a patient was told to put the oxygen mask on his own infected father because medical staff feared the risk of becoming infected if they did so themselves.

The healthcare system in Kashmir is yet to face major difficulties due to this pandemic. If it is unable to sufficiently treat patients in normal times, then the damage of COVID-19 on the Kashmir population would be insurmountable. In addition to being under-resourced, doctors are unable to download COVID-19 manuals which contain information about how to handle the health crisis in hospitals including best-practices for precautions and procedures. This is due to the slow restricted internet speed, ultimately hindering their efforts to treat patients.

Amnesty India has commented that, ‘There is a growing anxiety around the pandemic and unwarranted restrictions on content and dissemination of information only stands to add to the panic’. Health-related information is not accessible and by denying Kashmiris the right to access relevant information is the same as denying them their vital right to health as directed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

CURRENT RESPONSE

India continues to disregard Kashmir, first forcing them into a black-out for seven months and now ignoring their plea for help, leaving them vulnerable during this global pandemic.

India has failed to deal with the administrative challenges that the region of Kashmir has faced but denying doctors the ability to treat possible COVID-19 patients properly due to poor internet speed, lack of information and inadequate resources, is denying the region of their fundamental right to health.

In a time of anxiety and fear, the Indian government continues to neglect their duties towards the people of Kashmir. The region continues to adhere to the 21-day lockdown. The Kashmiri people are resilient as these lockouts are now seen as normal but denying them the right to be treated appropriately in this crisis period, is deeply concerning.

The World Health Organisation has recommended that the public must be informed of the situation so that they can take appropriate measures to protect themselves and their families. The Indian Government must ensure that Kashmir and its people have full access to health and safety related information.