Rivalry in the time of pandemic

Novel coronavirus (Covid-19) , a pandemic which hit out the world with a blow has ditrupted world order  with a consequences of economic disruption which can turn out to be a Global Recession like the one we faced in 2008. Countries around the world are facing the challenge to cope with this problem but what stands in stark contrast to fighting this pandemic is the great game going on between US and China. After the trade war gets settled after a truce , the game is now about blaming for irresponsible act. There are continous efforts from US president Donald Trump to name this virus as a "Wuhan Virus" and in its counter China is retaliating against such comments by threatning and showing the hardship China faced due to this pandemic. We saw that US is pressurising, UNSC and WHO to rename this virus and hit out at China. 

This Virus which has hit the world in more than 190 countries, has made countries around the world to kneel, with reports of shortage of medical gears for healthcare workers , shortage of equipments and proper facility for quarantine , lack of cooperation among countries to fight this pandemic , and has made the world order to do anything but fight.

Today the world's two largest economies US and China are fighting to take the credit to prepare the possible vaccine to this pandemic , shows the hidden competition going on to take the credit and show the hegemony by being a world leader. China distributing mask and health equipments shows a trend of "mask diplomacy" in this era by persuading others through supplies and showing its humanitarian efforts to curb this problem. Also, reports are circulating of US contacting and bribing German firms to buy their advances for a possible vaccine, and China working secretly or may have developed, the vaccine. This all is amid , when Countries like Italy, Spain and other EU countries are caught off-guard and their healthcare system has failed to contain the spread of Virus. US itself, with now having largest no. of cases worldwide, has been a striking example that Rhetorics alone cannot do anything to contain a disease which we know nothing about.

India, though with a fragile healthcare sector, has taken some pro-active steps like- social distancing, increasing testing, creating awareness etc.  to contain this virus. But despite some positive efforts there is always a scope for improvement, which in case of India is very improtant. Reports of low level of testing is surfacing the media , that India's testing rate for suspected candidates is very low, also the shortage of ventilators and equipments as well as testing kits are there. What is needed is to solve the problems when we have time and take the follower's advantage to take lesson from others , lest we will be in the position in which the western world is right now. India can take the hint from the work of S.korea, to futher increase its infra in the healthcare area and increase the testing rate to detect the possible suspects before further spreading.

Apart from intra-national measures world needs international measures. The leadership of India to reach out at SAARC for possible solution to contain this virus is the measure in right direction. Taking the cue from this, G-20, and G-7 countries followed the suit to devise some strategy in this direction. 

What we know from this lesson in our era is that, our disaster diplomacy is not adeqaute for what is required at this point of time and this rivalry will lead us nowhere. So, what is the need of the hour, is to forget the Rivalry and protectionist stance in the time of pandemics , prepare for the worst, cooperate and help each other to face this disaster because  the aftermath of this wave is what we have to prepare for , while working simultaneously for curbing the effect of this pandemic .