ASIA/INDIA - The Indian Bishops: closeness to the population affected by the pandemic; the government is clearly responsible INDIA 2021-04-26 2021-03-15
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - Deep concern and anguish for the second wave of Covid-19 that seriously affects the nation and full closeness and solidarity with the entire Indian population. With these sentiments, the Indian bishops intervene in the crisis phase the nation is going through, severely tested by the pandemic wave. The Catholic Church notes with extreme concern that India is reporting a record number of coronavirus cases and deaths, while there is an alarming shortage of medicines, vaccines and even oxygen supplies and hospital beds. The health system, observers say, is on the verge of collapse. Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu, President of the Health Commission of the Indian Bishops Conference (CBCI), explains to Fides: It can be said that the main cause of this tragic situation is the complacen
Indian bishops blame government, people for pandemic surge
India’s Health Ministry registered 323,144 fresh Covid-19 infections Tuesday morning, slightly below Monday’s record of 352,991 cases. Meanwhile, 2,771 new deaths took the toll to 197,894, closing in on the 200,000th mark.
By Vatican News
With India swamped by a massive wave of Covid-19 infections and deaths, and the health system almost on the verge of collapse, the country’s Catholic bishops have expressed their closeness with the suffering people while blaming the government and the people for lack of foresight and negligence.
Government and public negligence It can be said that the main cause of this tragic situation is the complacency of the government and the lack of a conscientious public, Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu of Visakhapatnam said. He pointed out that the country has exported more than 60 million Covid vaccines to 84 countries when it had a vaccine shortage. Certainly, there has been a gr
Bishops set prayer day as pandemic deaths spiral in India
At least 20 Covid-19 patients die in a Delhi hospital due to a shortage of oxygen as the crisis worsens
A volunteer wearing protective gear urges people in a market to wear masks as part of an awareness drive against the spread of Covid-19 in Siliguri in India s West Bengal state on April 23. (Photo: AFP)
Catholic leaders have urged their people across India to strictly follow Covid-19 restrictions as they dedicated a day of prayer to contain the infection spreading like wildfire.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India president Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai has written to bishops asking them to hold a day of prayer and fast on May 7 seeking divine intervention to save the country from the spreading pandemic.