Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy accused Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao of playing with the lives of doctors, nurse, medical staff, police personnel and other frontline warriors in the battle against the Coronavirus.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday, Narayana Reddy said that doctors and medical staff getting infected with Covid-19 were a serious issue. While the lives of doctors and medical staff were highly precious, it also multiplies the threat of the spread of COVID-19 among the other medical personnel and the patients being treated by them.
Stating that about 48 PG doctors have been tested positive so far and the NIMS had to close a block because of the spread of the virus, he said these developments expose the utter negligence of the State Government.
Narayana Reddy said that the High Court has reprimanded the State Government over doctors getting infected with Covid-19. He said that the advocate who filed the case alleged that government has not supplied protective equipment to doctors.
“Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Health Minister Eatala Rajender have been making tall claims that enough number of PPEs, N95 masks, gloves and goggles were supplied to hospitals. If all protective measures were taken then how these doctors and other medical staff got infected?” he asked.
The Congress leader said that many doctors have alleged that the protocols issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) WHO were not followed. Even the doctors who got infected were allegedly not sent to quarantine.
“The State Government should take steps to protect the doctors and medical staff. It must hold meetings with medical experts on the precautions to be taken for doctors,” he demanded.
Narayana Reddy said that protecting the lives of doctors was more important than showering flowers on them. “Their lives are precious and they should be protected at all cost,” he said.
He also accused the KCR Government of neglecting the lives and health of police personnel who have been rendering commendable services ever since the imposition of lockdown.
“No precautions were taken and the police personnel was not provided any protective gear for protection against Covid-19 infection. Consequently, many police personnel got affected by Coronavirus and one constable Sudhakar Reddy died due to Coronavirus,” he said.
“Police Constable Sudhakar Reddy sacrificed his life on the line of duty saving the lives of common people. But the TRS Government did not even conduct his last rites with State Honours. KCR or any of his ministers did not visit the family to offer condolences. Minister KTR, who Tweets about everything on earth, did not spare two minutes to pay homage to this frontline warrior.
This is a matter of shame for the entire society,” he said adding that the State Government give Rs. 1 Crore compensation to the family of a police constable and announce a similar package for all the frontline warriors including doctors, medical and non-medical staff deployed in Covid-19 hospitals, police personnel, sanitisation staff and others.
He said they should be paid compensation even if they infected with Covid-19. Their entire quarantine and treatment period should be treated as paid leave, he demanded.
Further, he demanded that all doctors treating Covid-19 patients be provided with Hazmat Suits.
Earlier in the day, Narayana Reddy distributed free masks and sanitizers among poor people in Lalaguda, Secunderabad.