Accusing activists and political parties which are approaching the High Court over the government’s handling of COVID-19 cases, of politicising the issue and not letting the government work, Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender on Friday asked them to approach the government instead, if they have any suggestion.
“This is not a good practice. In the present crisis if you have any suggestions or observations, please tell the government and help us overcome the crisis,” Eatala said while addressing the media.
Several activists have been approaching the court over the opaqueness of the Telangana government regarding its testing of COVID-19 cases. While other states have been sharing data about the samples being tested and the break-up of cases district wise, Telangana hasn’t been transparent about it.
Responding to the allegations of hospitals lacking facilities and adequate toilets, Eatala said that government hospitals can’t have independent toilets. “The hospital will have its own norms, there won’t be individual toilets.”
Further, criticising those who have been making the argument that if all patients use the same toilet there is a possibility of the virus spreading to others, Eatala said, “When all the patients are positive for the virus. How can it spread to others? This a baseless argument.”
The minister also denied that the doctors who had contracted the SARS-COV-2 virus, were affected due to lack of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits. “In AIIMS, Delhi, too, doctors were infected, was it because they weren’t provided with the kits? In America too, 100% doctors were infected, was it also because they weren’t provided with PPE kits?” the Health Minister said.
He added, “This virus is very potent. No matter how many safety precautions we are following and despite having protection, in some cases the infection is happening.”
The minister reiterated that the government has over 10 lakh PPE kits and 11 lakh N-95 masks. “There is no shortage for gloves and surgical masks too,” Eatala said.
The minister also said that they have received 150 ventilators from the Union government. Eatala said that so far three doctors from Gandhi Hospital, 17 from Modern Government Maternity Hospital in Petlaburj and six from Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) have tested positive. He said that a separate facility is being created in NIMS to treat the doctors belonging to NIMS.
Eatala also disclosed that the health department has formulated a new method of dividing the labour rooms based on the zones. “Patients coming from infected areas would be treated in a separate ward with different protocols compared to others,” he said.