Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday took to Twitter to announce that she has called upon the Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and Special Chief Secretary of Health Shanti Kumari for a discussion on the prevailing COVID-19 situation in Telangana. The tweet was followed by the announcement that she intends to interact with the management teams of hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.
The Governor’s decision to interact with hospital managements came six hours after her tweet announcing discussions with the Chief Secretary and the Principal Health Secretary.
“Called Chief Secretary & principal secretary Health Telangana state to discuss regarding #Covid situation prevailing across the State" her tweet read. The post of Principal Secretary Health is referred to as Special Chief Secretary of Health in Telangana.
Called Chief Secretary & principal secretary Health Telangana state to discuss regarding #Covid situation prevailing across the State
— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisaiGuv) July 6, 2020
Tamilisai Soundararajan in June held a video conference with several eminent personalities discussing ways to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, to take stock of the present situation and exploring new ways forward. The interaction was documented and shared with the state government for consideration while framing policies for containing the pandemic.
Soon after the Governor’s tweet on calls for discussion, her Twitter feed was abuzz with netizens expressing their discontent over medical bills and concerns over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state.
Telangana, as of Monday, has recorded 10,904 active cases. Several private hospitals have been called out over social media for levying exorbitant bills amounting to lakhs even for a few days of COVID-19 treatment.
One Twitter user affiliated with the Jana Sena Party tweeted, "Respected mam, Ask them two simple questions 1. How many area wise containment zones and who is responsible for the same? 2. Whether they are tracking primary and secondary contacts and progress of self-isolated positive patients?"
Another tweet by user Preetham Deshpande read, "Worst situation in Hyd, private hospital are sucking the blood of middle class, no hospitals, no beds people are suffering a lot because of COVID-19. There are a lot of people roaming on roads strict Lockdown should be implemented for 20 days .#savehyderabad"
The Governor noted the responses to her tweet.
A few hours after tweets from many on medical bills, Governor Tamilisai then tweeted, “I will be interacting with private hospitals with COVID-19 isolation facilities tomorrow 11 am regarding COVID-19 management & public grievances for redressal from them on beds, Billings, testing etc for successful private-public participation in #corona eradication successfully & cordially."
I will be interacting with private hospitals with Covid isolation facilities tomorrow11am regarding covid management & public grievances for redressal from them on beds , Billings ,tesing etc for successful pvt-public participation in #corona eradication successfully& cardially
— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisaiGuv) July 6, 2020