BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has come in for sharp criticism from the Opposition BJP and Congress for asking district administrations not to refer Covid patients to the Twin city of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar where the intensive care units are full to their capacity.
Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly Pradipta Naik lambasted the Government for denying treatment to patients from other districts in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
Taking exception to Tuesday’s direction of the Health department to Collectors and civic authorities of all districts, Naik said, “No one has the right to stop someone from availing treatment in the Twin city.”
He said the Government needs to improve the healthcare facilities and make proper arrangements for patients coming from other districts to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar where facilities to treat critical patients are much better.
Naik said Parmananad Agarwal, a Covid patient from M Rampur of Kalahandi district died on Tuesday as he did not get timely treatment. As he was refused admission in AIIMS here, his family members took him to several hospitals in the city but failed to get treatment. Finally he was taken to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, where he passed away due to the inordinate delay in treatment. “Had there been a proper treatment facility in Kalahandi, why would someone bring a critical patient to Cuttack or Bhubaneswar,” he questioned.
Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati was more strident in his attack on the Government. Taking a jibe at the BJD Government, Bahinipati said hospitals in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are nobody’s parental property. “The Government has no right to give such instructions to Collectors of other districts not to refer patients to hospitals in the Twin city. In a scathing attack on the Government for closing down Covid Care Centres and Temporary Medical Centres in the State, the Congress MLA said it is unfortunate to shut down the facilities when positive cases are on the rise. “The Government has completely failed in managing the Covid-19 pandemic in the State. We will raise the issue in the ensuing Assembly session,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy promptly clarified that the Covid-19 patients have not been banned from visiting the Twin city for treatment. “Government has created advanced Covid hospital facilities in the Twin city for people of the entire State. Government is only regulating to ensure that the patients travel safely and with proper medical advice, arrangements and oxygen support,” he said.
Additional Chief Secretary Pradeepta Kumar Mohapatra has also clarified that there is no ban in referring Covid patients from different districts to Covid Hospitals at Cuttack and Bhubaneswar for critical care.