Staying Alive: COVID-19 and Public Services in West Bengal

This report was published in June 2022 by Pratichi Institute, a Kolkata-based research institute working on themes related to human development such as education and health. It evaluates the implementation of public health services during the Covid-19 pandemic – throughout and after the nation-wide lockdown – in the state of West Bengal. It focuses on programmes relating to child immunisation, antenatal and postnatal care of pregnant women, public distribution of essential food supply and schemes relating to rural employment. The report states that disruptions in essential services during Covid-19 have a long-lasting and profound impact of people’s health and livelihoods, easily transforming an “epidemiological crisis into a huge socio-economic pandemic.” For the analysis, the report used primary data collected through telephonic surveys of over 2,000 households of West Bengal. These conversations took place during July-December 2020 and the first few months of 2021. This 194-page report is divided into eight chapters: People's Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Public Services and Public Action in Focus (Chapter 1); Opportunistic Methods of Enquiry (Chapter 2); Mother Care, Child Care: Disrupted by COVID Care? (Chapter 3); Health as Security of Food and Livelihood: PDS and NREGS Revisited (Chapter 4); 'No Lockdown for Them': Crucial Role of Frontline Health Workers (Chapter 5); People’s Awareness and Action as a 'Social Vaccine' (Chapter 6); Care and Un-care of Migrant Workers (Chapter 7); and In Lieu of a Conclusion (Chapter 8).