The Indian state of Kerala has been widely held up as a model of efficiency and humanism for its successes over the past year in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. Kerala's ability to cope with India's ongoing second wave has sharply contrasted with the desperate shortages of oxygen and hospital beds across much of the rest of the country.
The face of this success has been KK Shailaja, who was the state's health minister until earlier this month. Mrs Shailaja was controversially replaced by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government that she is a part of – even though the communist-led coalition won a historic re-election just days earlier. Her exit from the cabinet after five successful years has shocked many, and led to worries that the state government's efficient handling of the pandemic might suffer. However, even though any loss of public confidence during a crisis is unwelcome, the sources of Kerala's performance are far too deep to be overturned by the replacement of a single minister. Understanding why provides hope not only for the state, but for the country and the region at large.
Much of the praise for Kerala in the outbreak phase concentrated on its early and extensive pandemic preparation, and its effective use of contact-tracing to contain the disease. But as Covid-19 spread across India and lockdowns eased, transmission rates in Kerala were amongst the highest in the country. This is not surprising given that Kerala's density of population is the third-highest of any state in the union. But when we look at the ratio of deaths to infections, it has performed better than any other state in the country.
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In other words, your chances of surviving Covid-19 in India – if you are unlucky enough to catch it – are better in Kerala than almost anywhere else in the country. This has everything to do with successive governments’ emphasis on expanding access to health care, which meant Kerala had significantly more doctors and patient beds per capita than the national average.
On top of that, the LDF government is engaged in an aggressive, data-driven push to expand the healthcare system’s capacity to cope with the pandemic’s growing demands. It has consciously modelled its approach on the internationally recognised Cuban system, minus that country’s crippling sanctions. The push for highly decentralised, "people friendly" healthcare delivery led the government to launch a major effort last year to upgrade hundreds of rural primary healthcare units to "family health centres", complete with modern lab facilities and extended operating hours.
The idea was to bring high-quality outpatient health care as close as possible to every resident, regardless of location or income. This kind of network has helped ensure that the disease surveillance has remained strong, and that patients aren’t on their own if their health care needs escalate.
This evidence-based approach to planning and delivering affordable public goods is what Indian citizens all across the country have been repeatedly promised; it is a core element of the pledge made to voters by New Delhi's ruling party – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which ignored scientific advice to hold large campaign rallies and religious events. But Kerala’s success in many ways also problematises the widespread assumption that the BJP’s shortcomings at the central government level are largely responsible for the tidal wave of sick and dying people.
Although there has been a major push towards ever-greater centralisation under the BJP's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, health remains a state subject. The worst-performing states include those run by the BJP, its allies and opponents alike; as do the best-performing ones. Centrally administered Union Territories have, in fact, experienced outcomes ranging from the best to middling. It is clear from the sheer range of conditions that differences cannot be explained solely by which party is currently in power.
However, the central government is still responsible for providing assistance to states during crises. The difficult relationship between the LDF and the BJP – the latter had hoped to make inroads into the state in the recent election – has undoubtedly played a role in the very limited resources offered to the state. This is despite devastating floods, the painful economic contraction caused by the pandemic (including more than a million expatriate workers returning from the Gulf alone), and major changes that have deprived states the ability to directly collect sales taxes.
Kerala’s success, for example, in expanding Covid-19-testing and oxygen production without much external assistance isn’t just a story of the state health ministry. It is also the story of adroit footwork by the state’s finance ministry, backed by political commitment from the cabinet. These policies are unlikely to change under the new, also female, health minister, Veena George. For her part, Mrs Shailaja has now been appointed her party's chief whip, a position of arguably even greater political power.
The aforementioned commitment of the state has built on decades of steady investment in the social infrastructure of the state; education, health care and housing, and a range of programmes intended to provide a safety net for the disadvantaged and the precarious. The strong public consensus for this approach has provided for consistency across a steady alternation of power, usually every five years, between the LDF and its primary opposition in the state, the Congress party-led United Democratic Front coalition.
The question is whether this public consensus can be exported elsewhere in the country and the region. While economic growth in the few states that have adopted the social democratic elements of the so-called "Kerala model" have been lower than the national average – such as West Bengal – poverty has steadily reduced while purchasing power has grown. It has also proved to be politically extremely successful, altering the grounds on which elections are fought.
The horrors of Covid-19 provide India, and its many individual laboratories of governance, a moment to frame their options outside the partisan BJP versus Congress arguments that play out endlessly across television studios and WhatsApp groups. The real choice is between growth-focused capitalism and justice-focused social democracy, between patronage and performance.
Kerala’s sure-footed and agile response to enormous simultaneous crises is something that stands out even on the global stage, and offers hope as complex emergencies such as climate change continue to unfold. Voters elsewhere in the country are unlikely to indefinitely ignore that.
Johann Chacko is a writer and South Asia analyst
Ahmed Raza
UAE cricket captain
Age: 31
Born: Sharjah
Role: Left-arm spinner
One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95
T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
THE CARD
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
MATCH INFO
FA Cup fifth round
Chelsea v Manchester United, Monday, 11.30pm (UAE), BeIN Sports
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Results
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47
2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time
3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo
5. Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates
7. Anthony Roux (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03
9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep
10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Thabet Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Blue Diamond, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Shoja’A Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Heros De Lagarde, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
INFO
Everton 0
Arsenal 0
Man of the Match: Djibril Sidibe (Everton)
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
UAE%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3EMuhammad%20Waseem%20(captain)%2C%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20Aryan%20Lakra%2C%20Ashwanth%20Valthapa%2C%20Asif%20Khan%2C%20Aryansh%20Sharma%2C%20CP%20Rizwaan%2C%20Hazrat%20Billal%2C%20Junaid%20Siddique%2C%20Karthik%20Meiyappan%2C%20Rohan%20Mustafa%2C%20Vriitya%20Aravind%2C%20Zahoor%20Khan%20and%20Zawar%20Farid.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg:
Juventus 1 Ajax 2
Ajax advance 3-2 on aggregate
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
