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1. #Thread
“Prime Minister @narendramodi has blinked.” This is the ONLY way I can describe it. Pitched against the powerful forces of the MNCs and trans-national aid agencies, the Prime Minister of India – a huge market for all things has kowtowed to the global forces.
“Prime Minister @narendramodi has blinked.” This is the ONLY way I can describe it. Pitched against the powerful forces of the MNCs and trans-national aid agencies, the Prime Minister of India – a huge market for all things has kowtowed to the global forces.
2. An important Q: Why is it that @narendramodi could take what appeared as tough decision in his first term when @BJP4India and the NDA had less numbers? And, now with the right numbers, he is kowtowing to certain MNCs masquerading as aid agencies?
3. There is something called ‘charm offensive’, commonly used to describe corporate strategies. And then, there is this another that is used in political parlance - ‘quid pro quo’. Certain developments in the health sector warrant these phrases are the flavor of the month.
Here is why I say so. ‘Chronology Samazni Hogi’.
Mid-way through Modi’s first term, there was a strict action against a powerful global organisation in India’s health system. Within months of Modi 2.0, this global org has given a supposedly big award to him.
Mid-way through Modi’s first term, there was a strict action against a powerful global organisation in India’s health system. Within months of Modi 2.0, this global org has given a supposedly big award to him.
5. By end 2019, head-honcho is in India to pooh-pooh the achievement. And now? It is not even 10 days of the of the first month of 2020 and this global body is back in India’s health system.
You guessed it right. It is the #BMGF of @BillGates that is being talked about.
You guessed it right. It is the #BMGF of @BillGates that is being talked about.
6. But just in case, it sounds audacious – here is what has happened. Reasons are obvious.
Let me start with what happened few hours ago (on Jan 8, 2019) and then go back to the first action I mentioned.
Let me start with what happened few hours ago (on Jan 8, 2019) and then go back to the first action I mentioned.
7. On Wednesday, Union Cabinet, chaired by Modi, gave ex-post-facto approval to a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) btwn Department of Health & Family Welfare, GoI and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) on cooperation in the field of health. It was signed in Nov 2019.
8. PIB release ( https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1598716) mentions areas 2b covered by MoC:
a) To reduce maternal, neonatal and child morbidity & mortality, improve key nutrition outcomes, by improving the reach, coverage and quality of essential primary health, immunization & nutrition services
a) To reduce maternal, neonatal and child morbidity & mortality, improve key nutrition outcomes, by improving the reach, coverage and quality of essential primary health, immunization & nutrition services
9. b) To increase the basket of choice and quality for family planning methods, especially for reversible methods, and increase access amongst younger women.
c) To reduce the burden of select infectious diseases [TB, Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), Lymphatic Filariasis(LF)].
c) To reduce the burden of select infectious diseases [TB, Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), Lymphatic Filariasis(LF)].
9. d) To strengthen health systems, including aspects such as budget utilization, management and skills of human resources for health, digital health, strengthening supply chains and monitoring systems.
Surprising -1 n 2: ‘Immunisation’ & ‘increase access amongst younger women’.
Surprising -1 n 2: ‘Immunisation’ & ‘increase access amongst younger women’.
10. Things preceding this are when the above-mentioned phrases of ‘quid pro quo’ or ‘charm offensive’ come into picture. And unfortunately, Modi government’s action yesterday has given indication that it has fallen hook line and sinker to this bait.
11. End Sept 2019, Modi received the “Global Goalkeeper award for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-modi-receives-global-goalkeeper-award-for-swachh-bharat-abhiyan-1602843-2019-09-25
12. Needless to add, most of the Indian media coverage was either congratulatory or critical of Gates’ Foundation “for awarding the 2002-tainted politician.”
Hardly anyone mentioned about the possibility of the global giant’s business interest, in fact, the vested interest.
Hardly anyone mentioned about the possibility of the global giant’s business interest, in fact, the vested interest.
13. Just prior to it, Bill Gates had visited India and waxed eloquent on how “India, over the last five years, had allocated resources and really talked about the need to clean up” and credited Modi for turning pages in the sanitation history.
Details: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-easy-fix-to-sanitation-woes-india-an-exemplar-bill-gates/story-y5NZtPPvAfhe9RxXKITGQK.html
Details: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-easy-fix-to-sanitation-woes-india-an-exemplar-bill-gates/story-y5NZtPPvAfhe9RxXKITGQK.html
14. Now, if we go back a little in time, it was in February 2017 that the Modi government had unceremoniously thrown out the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation from its Universal Immunisation Programme.
That time, @anubhutivishnoi had broken this news. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/centre-shuts-gate-on-bill-melinda-gates-foundation/articleshow/57028697.cms
That time, @anubhutivishnoi had broken this news. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/centre-shuts-gate-on-bill-melinda-gates-foundation/articleshow/57028697.cms
15. And little more than two years prior to that, two entities that have played a key role in the immunization programme funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation were under fire for conflict of interest https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/controversial-vaccine-studies-why-is-bill-melinda-gates-foundation-under-fire-from-critics-in-india/articleshow/41280050.cms?from=mdr
16. In the first case, there were questions about the Gates Foundation’s ties with pharmaceutical companies and the possible influence this may have on the countries vaccination strategy. The second story needs to be read in entirety to know the unethical practices followed.
17. So, the obvious question to ask is whatever happened to the earlier term’s bravado? What changed from February 2017 to 2019/20?
One can understand (so to say) that Gates Foundation has a business link and can go to any extent to sell what they ought to.
One can understand (so to say) that Gates Foundation has a business link and can go to any extent to sell what they ought to.
18. The award to Modi was therefore the ‘charm offensive’ as the Foundation clearly realized that it cannot ignore/stay away from a market as large as India for its vaccines and other medicines. Its philanthropy is just a façade.
Now what has happened?
Now what has happened?
19. The MNCs, the global aid agencies, the western philanthropic organisations … each have their own agendas and find India as a large consumer of their aid/services/products. If Modi had shown spine to throw the Gates out once, what is it that has prompted their return?
20. In absence of a better explanation, I come back to what I said in the first tweet: Prime Minister @narendramodi has blinked.” This is the ONLY way I can describe it.
Not seen any other explanation in any media. I am open to know what the real reason can be?
End of thread.
Not seen any other explanation in any media. I am open to know what the real reason can be?
End of thread.
