MyVoice: Views of our readers 24h May 2020

CM, Health Minister should lead fight against corona

I request respected Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrashekar Rao to fulfil all the demands of the contract medical staff to strengthen the frontline warriors fighting against coronavirus. As everyone is living under the shadow of coronavirus, in fear and despair, people should be given strength and it can be done only by the frontline Covid-19 warriors. Poor cannot afford private hospital treatment. People are expecting Arogya Sri facility back. The government should allocate maximum funds to government hospitals. Chandrashekar Rao and Health Minister should appear regularly in the media and do their best to control the virus.

D Kishan Prasad, Thimmapur, Karimnagar

Ethical norms should not be bypassed in clinical trials

Hyderabad-based company Bharat Biotech announced it had received permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct human trials for its new Covid-19 vaccine, named COVAXIN (COVAXIN clinical trial on at NIMS, July 14). The company worked with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute, Pune, to develop the vaccine. The indigenous vaccine – the company's claim – to receive a green signal to conduct human clinical trials has made headlines in recent times. On July 2, it grabbed the country's attention anew when ICMR director-general Balram Bhargava sent a letter to 12 hospitals and research centres around India instructing them to participate in the clinical trials and conclude them by August 15 – a punishingly short deadline by any standards. He had effectively reduced the participant enrolment date by a week. A primary ethical principle laid down among the good clinical practices is that researchers must 'do no harm'. According to the Rules, the DCGI can grant accelerated approvals only in extenuating circumstances, such as natural disasters. It is also empowered to approve the drug's manufacturing before the phase III trial results are available if the drug showed "remarkable efficacy with a definite dose" in phase II trials. However, additional post-licensure studies may be required to verify clinical benefits. So it is quite clear that while the approval of the drug or the vaccine can be expedited, the ethical principles themselves can't be bypassed.

Rashmi Panigrahi, Hyderabad

Regularise outsourced Gandhi staff

It is painful to see Class IV outsourcing health workers including sanitation workers, security guards and patient care at the famed Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad are boycotting their duties demanding allotment as permanent employees in the State-run hospital. They have been working for the past 10-15 years, yet they are not permanent employees here. It is a matter of deep concern for hundreds of families. They are given low salaries, which we are not sufficient. They are working at the Gandhi Hospital assisting coronavirus patients risking their lives every day. They have been working as outsourced employees for years and are paid only Rs 12,500 per month for risking their and their family's lives during this coronavirus pandemic. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao should take initiatives to appoint them as permanent employees as he promised earlier as early as possible.

Vikram Yadav, Hyderabad

Online classes negatively impact interaction

The demand for online classes has increased due to the coronavirus pandemic (HRD frames guidelines for online classes, July 14). Online classes don't offer the same immediate and regular access to instructors and classmates as traditional face-to-face classes. The communication typically takes place through e-mail and in virtual discussion forums. While this can aid in learning technology, it negatively impacts a student's ability to interact with professors, ask questions and get immediate help. It also takes away from some of the social and teambuilding that occurs informally in college classrooms. Students sometimes misconstrue that online classes require less time and effort than traditional courses. Active and self-disciplined learners only typically succeed in this endeavour. Students who struggle with traditional course rigor often have difficulty with the time commitment required for online classwork. You normally have to schedule time each day to read assignments and complete quizzes and tests that you would take in class in a traditional setting. Online students also have to engage in class discussions and complete assignments, papers and projects. Team activities may also add to the time commitment in some classes, as students must often communicate with peers electronically and collaborate on work.

Srujana Devi S, Karimnagar