Upgrade facilities for quarantined Covid-19 patients: Gudur Narayana Reddy

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy demanded that the State Government improve facilities for the Covid-19 patients who are undergoing treatment at their homes under quarantine.

Narayana Reddy, in a media statement on Saturday, alleged that over 15,000 Coronavirus patients and thousands of others who have been quarantined under suspicion were not being provided proper healthcare. He said that the Covid-19 Home Quarantine Kit was inadequate as it does not have mandatory Oximeter and other life saving medicines. He said Oximeter was essential not only for confirmed patients, but also for the suspects to check oxygen saturation levels at regular intervals. In the absence of an Oximeter, it would be difficult for the patients or suspect to know whether or not they need oxygen support. However, he said that the State Government has completely neglected this essential element from the Home Quarantine Kit.

He also pointed out the supply of Oximeters at the Covid-19 hospitals was inadequate. He said only one or two Oximeters were available for each ward. Therefore, it was becoming the source of infection as the same equipment is being used for all patients in the ward.

The Congress leader welcomed the return of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to Pragathi Bhavan today. He said that the Chief Minister should now focus on improving the medical facilities at Gandhi Hospital, Osmania Hospitals, NIMS and other hospitals in view of rising number of Covid-19 cases. He said CM KCR and Health Minister Etala Rajender should revive their sensitivity towards human beings and take immediate measures to reduce the sufferings of people due to Covid-19 situation.

Narayana Reddy said that the people have lost faith in government hospitals, especially the Gandhi Hospital, Osmania Hospitals and NIMS. He said several horrible stories of medical neglect have reached the people and today many people are preferring to die in pain at home than getting treated in Gandhi Hospital or other government hospital. He said that the government needs to take immediate action to restore the confidence of people. Whenever any complained about lack of facilities, the authorities targeted the complainant rather than taking corrective measures.

The Congress leader said there was a huge contradiction in the claims being made by the Health Minister and the ground situation. As per the official figure, there are over 12,000 Active Cases of Covid-19 in Telangana. Of them, about 1700 patients have moderate symptoms while 461 are in critical condition. Remaining 10,000 patients are Asymptomatic and mild symptoms and they are reportedly being treated at their homes. He asked the Health Minister to specify how many number of Home Quarantine Kits distributed among these patients.

He said no efforts were being made by the authorities to curb the disease in the beginning stage. He said negligence and casual approach was worsening the condition of patients or suspects with mild symptoms which is proving fatal in many cases. He also reiterated the demand that the State Government include Covid-19 in the Aarogyasri Scheme as common people as it would make treatment more accessible to common people.

Narayana Reddy urged the State Government to take corrective measures on a war footing basis and put all efforts to save as many lives as possible.