Sulakshana Nandi: How the Indian government’s pandemic response caused more deaths

Why did the pandemic spiral out of control in India? Why did some states see many more people dying than others? The central government’s authoritarian measures, badly planned and highly restrictive lockdowns, structural inequality and many forms of discrimination drastically increased the death toll and suffering of the Indian people, argues Sulakshana Nandi in this interview. She also discusses India’s unequal vaccination rollout and how the public and private healthcare sectors differed in pandemic management. Finally, she explains what an alternative health care system in India could look like.

Sulakshana Nandi is the co-chair of the Global Steering Council of the People’s Health Movement in India. Based in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, she is involved in research, capacity building, and advocacy on issues related to health equity and access, and public policy and programmes for health and nutrition, with a focus on gender and vulnerable and indigenous communities.

This video is part of a monthly series on the securitisation of health. Watch all videos here.

Video edited by Josh Akinwumi.

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