David And Goliath: How Can India Learn From New Zealand’s COVID-19 Strategy.

Amidst the global panic to contain the spread of the novel COVID-19, New Zealand has gained international attention and praise. Notably, the Washington Post described the country of about 5 million people as a 'triumph in science and leadership.' While New Zealand, the country I have lived in for 15 years, is emerging as a leader in the fight against COVID-19, I cannot help but wonder why my home country India cannot follow the same example. The substantial difference in population between the two countries is indeed conceded. Still, New Zealand's comparable success can be explained through its strong preexisting social capital and the effective public policy measures that were adopted early on.

As of 13th April New Zealand has seen 1064 confirmed and probable cases, there have been 5 deaths while 546 citizens recovered. New Zealand's steady progress is sharply contrasted with the chaos that has characterised the Indian response.

India has 9152 cases and 308 deaths, along with conducting the fewest number of tests globally. India is still projected to be two weeks behind the worst of the disease's peak. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a ratio of a 1000 patients to 1 doctor, India has 10,000 patients assigned to each doctor with a lack of PPE and a shortage of ventilators. Significantly under-resourced hospitals and a government that is actively engaged in intentionally posting lower numbers make it difficult to ascertain how many undiagnosed or misdiagnosed COVID-19 carriers are yet to be detected.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker says that New Zealand is in a unique position as the only country that is capable of eradicating COVID-19 as opposed to adopting a containment approach that awaits the development of a vaccine. After just two weeks of the planned four-week lockdown that imposed a nationwide quarantine, the low infection and death rates have left Prime Minister Ardern feeling 'quietly confident and cautiously optimistic.'

"We must go hard and we must go early" Arden colloquially stated as she began implementing a series of changes that would place New Zealanders in one of the world's strictest COVID-19 lockdowns. Ardern and her team acted boldly and quickly. On March 8th, with only 8 confirmed cases New Zealand declared a soft travel ban that required all visitors travelling to New Zealand to self isolate for fourteen days. On March 19th the tourism reliant country did the unprecedented by shutting down borders to all foreigners. Currently, with the country is at Alert level 4, all but essential movement is restricted.

In India, the government struggles to enforce their curfews. Police are increasingly turning to violence and public humiliation to instil fear in citizens—videos circulating online exhibit police brutality and callousness in desperate efforts to gain obedience. One video shows police in Uttar Pradesh punishing boys for violating curfew rules by forcing them to perform frog jumps. As police increasingly treat this COVID 19 curfew less like a health concern and more a military matter, with a penchant to harass citizens, it is understandable why citizens rebel rather than embrace safety. Providing such considerable authority to the police is concerning as it facilitates potential abuse of power where discretion may be used discriminatorily.

The Indian government expects complete compliance from their citizens, yet they have not paved the way to allow this. The lack of robust institutionalised support has affected India's most vulnerable. The poorly-managed three-week lockdown encouraged an exodus of millions of working-class citizens who were forced to walk for days back to their villages due to the suspended public transport. Now, these workers experience penury and starvation, as noted by the United Nations. While the middle class hunkers down with enough supplies to make it through the lockdown, the vast majority of poor struggle to make ends meet during the lockdown having lost jobs and livelihoods

New Zealand borrowed up to 40 billion dollars to ensure all New Zealanders who have been affected by COVID-19 are financially supported. I have had my Student Allowance increased and received a $7000 payment to help my business. Security of government assistance can be linked to compliance in quarantine regardless of halted economic activity.

The New Zealand government has not shied away from answering questions. Ardern participates in daily televised news conferences and regularly conducts Facebook live videos to engage directly with citizens. In India, on the other hand, there is a crippling lack of transparency. Modi refuses to participate in regular press conferences. The ineptly sporadic dissemination of information in India was evident when Modi made his speech at 8 pm on March 24th declaring a national, three-week quarantine to come in force just after midnight. Shutting shops, trains and entire cities without sufficient warning induces panic and only results in increasing crowding, the stark opposite of what is desired.

The Labour-led coalition government in New Zealand communicated clearly using simple language. "Act as if you have COVID-19. This will save lives. Let's all do our bit to unite against COVID-19' an emergency warning read to initiate the four-week lockdown. This clear and fact-based communication is widely appreciated with a petition under-way to honour the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield as 'New Zealander of the Year.' From the get-go, the consistent and straightforward communication provided New Zealanders with guidance as to how serious the threat is, how they would be responding, and why this was the best course of action.

In India, the government has offloaded responsibility for containing the virus on citizens, yet fails to inform citizens what steps the government is taking to protect them. The nation's rhetoric is marked by showmanship and bluster. The science sceptical Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be more focused on thali-banging and Diya-lighting as opposed to informing citizens what steps are being taken to improve health care, increase testing or economic relief. The COVID-19 outbreak appears to be treated more as a photo opportunity. While PM Modi launched a 'PM Cares' fund which has received donations from several influential figures to help the "poorest of the poor," it is unknown as to where these funds are being directed.

The intense focus on stoking racial tension has resulted in bifurcated society, unconducive to fostering the collective unity required to overcome a pandemic. The favoured majority follows a cult of personality, happily disregarding and dismissing all of the leadership's evident shortcomings. Whereas, the stigmatised minority are disbelieving and disenfranchised to the extent where they refuse to follow even the most basic containment measures. The consequences of this alienation were potently manifested when the Tablighi Jamaat ignored government requests to social distance and created a hotspot for infection. The Tablighi Jamaat are now divisively being labelled as 'Corona jihadi's' and being wholly blamed for the spread of the virus.

There is a concerning lack of accountability in India. With a government who has immense power and whose citizens have become increasingly partisan and treat party messages as gospel, all while being validated by the influential Bollywood, BJP has no real incentive to improve. What is more troubling is that any constructive criticism of governmental policy is quickly labelled as 'anti-national' as BJP's campaign against any form of dissidence wages on.

In New Zealand, Simon Bridges, leader of the opposition party says 'scrutiny will bring a better and strong response.' Despite a suspended Parliament, the government's actions are closely monitored by the Epidemic Committee. National, the leading opposition party, launched an online petition urging the government for mandatory quarantine of 14 days for everyone coming into New Zealand. Within 48 hours of the petition's launch, the government responded affirmatively. The government also acknowledged calls to increase testing by Sir David Skegg at a Committee hearing within hours.

The New Zealand government has strictly enforced the lockdown for all with no exceptions, and that includes politicians. Arden did not even tolerate her own Health Minister David Clarke's breach of the clear 'keep it local' rule as she demoted him publicly by saying 'he must pay the price.' In India, though regulations do not apply to politicians. Within 12 hours of Modi declaring the lockdown, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and 20 of his staff flouted the rules with complete disregard for social distancing to attend a temple ceremony.

Indian Journalist, P Sainath, describes the changes COVID-19 brings as a "junction from where we decide which way to go." As each country develops a strategy against the novel COVID-19, its priorities shine through. New Zealand's Ardern says her government is 'trying to do what is right for New Zealand, for New Zealand's economy and for New Zealand's people.' For India to do what is right for their people requires addressing decades of deep-seated social injustices that have marginalised their poor. Now more than ever, the government cannot shirk administrative responsibility. There is no time to waste. Failure to change the entrenched callousness towards the poor and the history of inequality will cost India dearly. India has emerged as an economic powerhouse on the shoulders of its working-class and poor citizens, benefiting billionaires and wealthy politicians alike. Now it is time for the country to repay their biggest and perhaps most important stakeholders, the poor.

Written by Sara Khatau

Sara studies Law, Politics and Philosophy at the University of Auckland. She is an active youth advocate and has written for the Ministry of Youth Development and Amnesty International. Sara has a strong interest in the intersection of cultural identity with politics and economics and seeks to pursue a career in International Diplomacy and Law.

© Scoop Media