WorklifeIndia

Burnout is rising in the world of office goers. Months of disruption and uncertainty caused by the Covid pandemic has led workers at many companies to feel stressed and exhausted. Daily life has been disrupted, and the lines between work and leisure blurred. Many are finding it difficult to cope.

In response to this, many companies have announced burnout leave. It’s being seen as a way to show the workers that they have a support system to lean on. Or is it just a headline grabbing tactic? And what about the professionals who are availing this leave? Has it really helped them?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss how companies define wellness, and whether burnout leave actually works.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

After a promising start in January, India's vaccine drive has been hobbled by challenges. A severe shortfall from May onwards left many searching for jabs.

According to recent data, of the total jabs administered so far, 54% have gone to men and only a little over 46% to women. Experts say women's health has always taken a backseat due to patriarchal social norms. Access to healthcare continues to be a challenge, particularly in rural areas, where nearly 65% of India's population lives. On top of that, unfounded beliefs that the vaccine may cause infertility or menstruation issues also are keeping women away.

What can be done to counter these challenges at the grassroots, as well as at a policymaking level? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the measures needed to bridge the gender divide in India's vaccination programme.

An estimated 115 million children in India are said to be at risk of malnutrition. Experts say India's Covid lockdowns interrupted crucial government schemes that benefit hundreds of millions of women and children.

The malnutrition rates were already on the rise in the years leading up to the Covid outbreak. India’s lockdowns, some of the severest anywhere in the world, have made matters worse. In fact, recent reports indicate stunting among children in some areas has gone up by as much as 20% in a matter of just a few months.

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss the challenges and the measures being taken to tackle child malnutrition during a devastating pandemic.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Covid has dealt a heavy blow to Indian businesses. Battling the first and then a ferocious second wave of coronavirus infections, the country has seen consumer demand crash, upended supply chains and a transformation in consumer habits. Millions of jobs have been lost in both rural and urban areas.

Surviving this changed landscape amid an ongoing virus scare has been a major challenge for both big and small businesses. So, how vulnerable are some sectors compared to others? Are there newer opportunities to tap into? Or should the aim be to just stay afloat and tide over this crisis? We take an in-depth look into the survival strategies of Indian businesses facing the Covid challenge.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

(Photo: People visit at Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. Credit: Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times/Getty Images)

Fake news and misinformation are hampering India's battle with the coronavirus pandemic. Right from the origins of the virus to unproven alternative cures to efficacy of vaccines, a wave of mass anxiety has washed over the country's social media.

India is seeing a decline in the second wave of coronavirus infections, but a rare and deadly fungal infection is affecting patients recovering from Covid.

India has reported more than 11,000 cases of the black fungus infection, also known as mucormycosis. It has a mortality rate of over 50 per cent, and the drug needed for its treatment is in short supply. Missing a dose can result in removal of tissues or, in serious cases, bones and even the eye.

Doctors say there is a link between black fungus and indiscriminate use of steroids to treat Covid patients. Diabetics are said to be particularly at risk.

So, what are the treatment challenges, and what is happening to the families of patients faced with the double stress of health and finances?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss what can be done to tackle India’s black fungus crisis.

With nearly 470 million children, India has the world’s largest child population. Campaigners say millions of them have been seriously impacted by the pandemic, including their access to medical care, food, shelter, schooling, and even means of livelihood.

Many are facing severe mental trauma due to confinement and isolation at home, and a recent study says 577 were orphaned in less than two months during the second wave of the pandemic. Many children have also caught the virus, but thankfully complications have been rare.

The scale of the problem is daunting, but what can be done to ensure that children’s lives are not thrown into chaos? We discuss Covid’s impact and solutions needed to protect India’s children.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

While the total number of daily Covid infections in India is on the wane, the share of cases in rural districts is seeing a big surge. A large number of people in rural towns and villages live in poverty, and rundown local hospitals and clinics are unequipped to cope with a crisis of this scale. There is also a severe distrust in modern medicine.

Earlier this month, India became the first country in the world to report more than 400,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day. And despite being the world's biggest producer of vaccines, the country is facing an acute shortage to meet domestic demand. All Indian adults are currently eligible for a shot, but there are just not enough vaccines to go around.

Access and affordability are two other significant challenges in inoculating a population as large as India's. Although the government is spending $5bn to provide free doses at state-run clinics and hospitals, not everyone is eligible, and the cost of a single shot has massively jumped at private hospitals.

What would it take for India to ramp up production and roll out a successful immunisation programme? In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we look at the road ahead as India tries to vaccinate its billion people.

Presenter: Devina Gupta

Contributors: Dr Sharvil Patel, managing director, Zydus Cadila; Dr Rachna Kucheria, epidemiologist, founder, DocGenie; Shyam Sunder, co-founder, Getjab.in

A devastating wave of coronavirus infections in India has seen crematoriums overwhelmed and hospitals reeling under a massive oxygen shortage.

There have been a record number of Covid cases and deaths. This exponential surge has swamped the healthcare system. Patients are seen dying in ambulances and parking lots outside hospitals – many of them gasping for breath due to a lack of oxygen, which is vital for those infected. There have been reports of hoarding and even black marketing as relatives scramble to arrange medical oxygen for their friends and kin.

What has led to this crippling shortage and what can be done to improve the situation? In this edition, we discuss the situation on the ground and the ways India can tackle its oxygen crisis.

Presenter: Devina Gupta