When I was at school, I learnt that amoeba reproduced asexually by fission. Later in college, I was forced to believe that bacterial pathogens were host specific and that human pathogens do not cause diseases in animals and the vice-versa. But today it is considered rubbish and we now know that even bacteria multiple by the sexduction process and that brucellosis, a disease that infects cows, also infects man.
Today, there are thousands of diseases which are transmitted to man via the animals and the belief of the fifties that pathogens are host specific is now history.
Science is never as it was in the beginning and it is now and it will remain forever and ever. In science, it is not that a supernatural creator produced the light, the sun, planets, birds, animals and man and finally rested after the hard work, but every moment that passes by, not only new stars, universes are born but new bacteria, viruses are generated via mutagenesis, or bydenovo structural transformations in organic molecules.
We need to focus on the need to promote studies on Virology, which is totally absent in Goa and the studies on the structure and functions of the viral genome sparingly present across the Indian subcontinent. The study of viruses has fascinated mankind ever since the tobacco mosaic virus was first crystalised in the laboratory.
Whether viruses are a living entity or non-living particles is itself a debatable issue in the scientific world. Unlike a living cell, which multiples by itself in a growth media, the viruses are unable to multiply and reproduce outside a host cell. The bacteriophages are viruses which grow in the bacteria and likewise there are very many plant, animal and human viruses, which grow inside the host tissue. We must emphasize and convince fellow Goans, that study and understanding of viruses, today is absolutely essential for our existence.
Going back, many religions believe that God made animals for man to harness energy and the comforts of a healthy life. But if you look at the modern essence of virology, it makes it very interesting to note that scientific data clearly indicates these submicroscopic particles parasite upon higher animals and plants and man too. Thus it goes on to prove that “man today has been created” by super natural forces to allow the viruses to grow, multiply and parasite upon! Let us converge and focus on the Goa Scenario. The growth of zoonotic infections in this beautiful territory is growing in leaps and bounds. Whilst the average Goan spends long hours in ritualism and prayers, the viruses are merrily preying on our human physiology and anatomy at a molecular level.
We are aware that, jaundice, cancers, AIDS, rabies, dengue, encephalitis, pox, polio, herpes, SARS, KFD (Monkey Fever), pneumoniaetal, have not only adversely affected our economy but also caused mortality and deteriorated the quality of our lives in Goa. It is a good thing that as of now we are rightly obsessed with CAA and NRC. However, we must not be waylaid into the government’s diversionary tactics and we also should focus on issues close to our health and survival.
As of today, we are working towards bringing into Goa, the tourists from China. We are making easy money. We exploited and cheated the high spending tourists from USA, UK, Germany, Scandinavian countries to romp in the Russians and the Nigerians, to further falter with our polices to thus allow the taxi mafia and drug peddlers to drive tourists and tourism out of Goa. Today whilst the world is struggling to meet the challenges of the Coronavirus which is killing people worldwide, due to respiratory infections emanating out from the Wuhan city in central China, we have our Tourism department declaring the Goan officials would visit China to attract Chinese into Goa. We have surveillance in place at the airport, but we forget the porous border between and the North East, and that the Coronavirus could easily come into Goa via the North-Eastern states through migrants working in casinos and hotels who visit Goa by rail in hordes, and could easily usher in the epidemic.
The economy of Goa is dependent on parasitic life styles, ripping and raping hills to extract mineral wealth and pollute water bodies and silting our agricultural fields with mining dust that is also causing respiratory diseases. The tourism industry has polluted our rivers with sewage releases and garbage leachates. The mega housing complexes have contaminated our water table. This pollution is generating microbes which are virulent.
We have invested needlessly into seven engineering colleges generating educated unemployed but Vishwajit Rane, our health Minister knows precious nothing on the ways and means to stall the growth of viral diseases, which are growing like wildfire in the Goan ecosystem.
Viruses preys upon the human genetic machinery and hence it is difficult to challenge them with external drugs, but we must use active immune system of our body by generating a clean and clear environment. Goa today needs urgently an advanced Virological. Institute to address the viral pathogens initially, and more research laboratories to counter the zoonotic pathogens transmitted through animals. Faster the action the government takes, the better it is for the Goan economy and health of the tourists in particular and Goans at large.
(The writer is a retired University Professor and an environmental activist)
