·Thousands of Congress leaders participate in #SpeakUpTelangana campaign
·TPCC Chief demands Rs. 10 lakh ex-gratia for families of Covid-19 victims
Hyderabad, June 18 (Hydnow): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & Nalgonda MP Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the negligence displayed by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao in handling the Coronavirus in the State was nothing short of cruelty against humanity as it killed hundreds and infected thousands of people.
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Addressing the party cadre on social media platform Facebook as part of #SpeakUpTelangana campaign organised by TPCC Covid-19 Task Force Committee on Saturday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that CM KCR had adopted a non-serious approach in handing Covid-19 situation right from the beginning. He reminded that the Chief Minister had described Coronavirus as a normal flu which could be treated with a Paracetamol tablet and the virus would die in 22 Degrees Celsius temperature. “It seems that KCR still believes that Covid-19 can be treated with a Paracetamol and that was the reason why he made no serious efforts to follow the World Health Organisation’s norm of ‘Trace, Test and Treat’ the Covid-19 patients,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said that Coronavirus has been causing havoc across the world, including India and Telangana for the last six months. “While the rest of the world is taking measure to defeat the deadly virus, KCR Govt is still in deep slumber. It completely failed to prevent the spread of virus and no measures were taken to provide treatment to the infected people. In order to avoid criticism, KCR Govt simply hushed up the real figures and manipulated data to show that the situation was under control. Testing was not done adequately which facilitated free movement of untested infected persons in the society while spreading the virus among other people. Telangana is still on the bottom in the list of States in terms of testing,” he said.
The TPCC Chief said that the treatment being offered to Covid-19 patients was inadequate. He said entire load of Covid-19 patients was put on in one hospital (Gandhi Hospital) which over-burdened the doctors and para-medical staff. Consequently, he said innumerable complaints of negligence cropped up in the last few months. He said no arrangements were made at other government hospitals to treat the Covid-19 patients. “KCR Govt even failed to upgrade all the government hospitals with basic oxygen supply in the last 5-6 months to deal with the situation. There is huge shortage of ventilators, oxygen-equipped beds, doctors, para-medics and other infrastructure,” he said.
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Uttam Kumar Reddy also alleged that the health equipment procured during Covid-19 crisis was of poor quality although it was purchased at very higher prices. He pointed out that nearly 150 doctors and other staff, including the Superintendant, of Osmania General Hospital were infected with Covid-19. This was not possible if they would’ve been provided with quality and standard PPE kits. He said hundreds of frontline warriors against Covid-19 including doctors, para-medical staff, sanitation workers, police personnel and journalists were infected with the virus and a few of them also succumbed to the diseases. CM KCR and his team of inefficient ministers and incompetent officers were responsible for those deaths.
The TPCC Chief said that many patients have sent messages a few hours before their death that they were not being provided oxygen and other medical care in government hospitals. However, instead of taking action and corrective measures, TRS Govt found fault with the patients and condemned them for using mobile phones. He said not a single incompetent and guilty official faced any action despite dozens of people dying due to negligence. He said there was no sense of accountability either with CM KCR, Health Minister Etala Rajender or any senior officials. Instead, Minister K. Tarakarama Rao remarked that “only 2% patients” were dying due to the disease. He said “2%” is not just a numerical sign, but it represents hundreds of human lives. He said this negligent attitude was nothing but brutality against humanity and CM KCR would never be forgiven for showing cruelty against Covid-19 patients and their relatives.
Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated the demand that Covid-19 treatment be brought under Aarogyasri scheme. He said Covid-19 treatment should be totally free for all BPL families in Telangana state. Further, he asked the State Government to regulate the charges for Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals.
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He also stressed on increasing the number of Covid-19 tests. He said medical infrastructure should be strengthened in all government hospitals by arranging adequate number of ventilators and oxygen beds. He demanded that Rs10 lakhs ex-gratia be paid to the families of poor people who died due to Coronavirus. He said Rs.50 lakhs ex-gratia should be paid to medical and health and sanitation staff, municipal and Gram Panchayat employees, police personnel and journalists if they succumb due to Covid-19.
Uttam Kumar Reddy informed that as part of #SpeakUpTelangana campaign, thousands of Congress leaders and workers have uploaded videos, images and information exposing the negligence of TRS Govt in handling Covid-19 situation. He demanded that the State Government act upon the issues highlighted by the Congress leader if it was really serious in defeating Covid-19. “Congress party is concerned about the lives of common people and it will do everything it could to save each and every citizen of Telangana,” he said. (Hydnow)