Eatala Rajender's rosy picture does not match with ground reality

Hyderabad: What exactly is the situation regarding corona cases in the Telangana State? There seems to be a mismatch between what Health Minister Eatala Rajender told the media and the earlier statement by Director for Public Health G Srinivasa Rao. According to the Minister, there is no shortage of beds in the State.

"There are 1,691 hospitals across, 41,000 beds and 10,000 beds with oxygen. Nearly 95 per cent of the patients were asymptomatic and only 5 per cent or 6 per cent need hospitalisation," he said. Eatala directed the private and corporate hospitals not to send patients who are very serious in the eleventh hour to government hospitals. "It is their responsibility to treat all the patients whom they admit," he added.

But the ground situation appears to be different. There are complaints that there is a shortage of oxygen and corporate hospitals say that no beds are available for corona patients.

There is also a shortage of vaccines. Many hospitals, including some corporate hospitals on Wednesday said that they had run out of Covishield vaccine. Patients were being sent back as the supply was less compared to sudden increase in demand.

While the government hospitals have sought permission of the government to recruit more medical and paramedical staff, the Minister said that there was no shortage as even MBBS doctors have been permitted to treat corona patients as all of them have gained experience in the last one year. He also denied that there was a shortage of vaccines.

According to him Covid-19 management was much better compared to Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and other States. However, Director Srinivasa Rao said that the decision of the government not to go in for lockdown or night curfew does not mean that the intensity of corona was less in the State. Situation was grave and people need to be careful for at least next six weeks. He even suggested that people wear masks even when they are inside their houses as it was spreading fast through air within the four walls of the house. If people continue to be careless in following health protocols, soon we may have to face Maharashtra-type situation, he cautioned.