No 4G May Worsen COVID-19 Crisis in J&K: Doctors Appeal to PM Modi

A group of doctors, medical and legal experts have written to PM Modi to restore fast internet in J&K and Ladakh.

An MHA order has restricted fast internet in Jammu and Kashmir till 26 April.

(Photo: AP)

Even as the government denied restoring 4G internet connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, 27 March, doctors and other experts have written an open letter to PM Narendra Modi highlighting the need for faster internet to help tackle the coronavirus crisis.

The J&K Home department, on Thursday, said the decision to extended the ban till 3 April “was taken after considering the overall security and the reports of the law enforcement agencies inter alia”.

This comes even as Kashmir reported its first coronavirus-related death on Thursday and recorded at least a dozen positive cases. The union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been facing an internet blackout since 5 August when the Modi government abrogated Article 370.

As India went into a nationwide lockdown amid escalating cases of COVID-19 across the country, Kashmiri doctors and locals took to social media to express concerns over the slow internet connections and delays in accessing healthcare information.

The letter, which has been signed by at least 80 persons, was drafted by doctors, and medical and legal experts from Jan Swasthya Abhyan and All India People’s Science Network. These include Sarojini Nadimpally, Amar Jesani, Yogesh Jain, T Sundararaman, Veena Johari and Deepa Venkatachalam.

The letter states, “The intermittent access to internet or its slow speed due to 2G services in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh will aggravate the public health crisis.”

“According to reports, health professionals are unable or delayed in accessing the important guidelines and updates on not just the prevalence of COVID-19 but also on the latest guidelines and breakthroughs issued by the Government of India, the World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding testing and treatment for people suspected of being exposed to the virus or who are infected with the virus.”

Letter to PM Modi by doctors, health experts

The letter adds, “In 2016, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations General Assembly, declared access to internet to be a basic human right and as integral for individuals to exercise their rights. Slow speed internet such as 2G services does not allow access to most sites, and prevents people from accessing vital and important health information, especially with regard to prevention and treatment of COVID-19.”

“The rights of the people, including health professionals, to universal access to information, protective equipment, medicines, testing kits, as well as other support services for their well-being must be fulfilled.”

A few days ago, an order, citing the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which claimed that the government of India has decided to restore 4G internet in Jammu was circulated on social media.

Taking to Twitter, the Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, confirmed that the order being circulated is fake.