PM Modi's actions to stifle criticisms 'inexcusable', govt must own up Covid mistakes in India: Lancet

In its editorial titled 'India’s COVID-19 emergency', the journal wrote: "Despite warnings about the risks of superspreader events, the government allowed religious festivals to go ahead, drawing millions of people from around the country, along with huge political rallies—conspicuous for their lack of COVID-19 mitigation measures."

It criticised Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for declaring India to be Covid free even before the second wave hit the country.

"Yet before the second wave of cases of COVID-19 began to mount in early March, Indian Minister of Health Harsh Vardhan declared that India was in the “endgame” of the epidemic," the editorial said.

"The impression from the government was that India had beaten COVID-19 after several months of low case counts, despite repeated warnings of the dangers of a second wave and the emergence of new strains," it added.

The medical journal also slammed the role of the country's leadership in removing criticisms on social media rather than controlling the pandemic.

"At times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government has seemed more intent on removing criticism on Twitter than trying to control the pandemic," it said.

"Modi’s actions in attempting to stifle criticism and open discussion during the crisis are inexcusable," Lancet noted.

Calling India's vaccination policy "botched" and "falling apart" at the central level, the journal noted that the government abruptly shifted course without discussing the change in policy with states and has managed to vaccinate less than 2 per cent of the population.

"First, the botched vaccination campaign must be rationalised and implemented with all due speed. There are two immediate bottlenecks to overcome: increasing vaccine supply (some of which should come from abroad) and setting up a distribution campaign that can cover not just urban but also rural and poorer citizens, who constitute more than 65% of the population (over 800 million people) but face a desperate scarcity of public health and primary care facilities," the editorial suggested.

The editorial also suggested that the transmission of the infection can be controlled with a new federal lockdown.

"Second, India must reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission as much as possible while the vaccine is rolled out. As cases continue to mount, the government must publish accurate data in a timely manner, and forthrightly explain to the public what is happening and what is needed to bend the epidemic curve, including the possibility of a new federal lockdown."

"The success of that effort will depend on the government owning up to its mistakes, providing responsible leadership and transparency, and implementing a public health response that has science at its heart," it added.

Meanwhile, India recorded 4,03,738 fresh Covid cases and 4,092 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The country has been witnessing over 4 lakh daily infections for the fifth time in a week and over 4,000 deaths for the second straight day.