Coronavirus is raging in Andhra Pradesh. The number of cases has crossed 4 lakh and the daily count is touching 10,000. On an average, 86 people are dying every day due to COVID. The pandemic has spread even to remote villages. Hospitals are filled to the brim with Covid-19 patients. To tackle the rush, even engineering colleges have been turned into Covid care centres though they lack beds and medical personnel.
Cries of hunger in GGH
The government is making tall claims on spending Rs. 500 daily for patients in Covid hospitals and quarantine centres. But it is alleged that contractors are supplying poor quality food, making them sicker. Guntur Government Hospital (GGH) has been designated as Covid Hospital. Around 1,500 patients are being treated in the facility. Patients are complaining that they are not getting breakfast even at 11 am as against the scheduled 8 am. Likewise, lunch is served at 4 pm instead of prescribed 1 pm. There are many diabetics among corona patients who have to take their medicine on time. Some fatalities in the hospital are attributed to this negligence on the part of authorities. In one such latest instance, a patient from Akula Ganapavaram village of Rajupalem mandal in the district died of COVID. He was healthy when he got admitted to the hospital. Being a diabetic, it is alleged that he succumbed on September 3 night as he could not take diabetic medicine on time owing to untimely serving of food by the hospital staff. Frequent power cuts are adding to the woes of patients, who complain that they are unable to bear mosquito bites as the hospital witnesses 20 power cuts daily.
No different in Ongole
The conditions in Ongole RIMS, where around 1,000 patients are being treated, are no different. Patients are posting videos on social media complaining of food not being served on time by contractors. While collecting Rs. 500 per day per person towards food, they are serving food not even worth Rs 100. Most people are horrified by the prospect of staying in government quarantine centres rather than catching the diseases.
Bed shortage
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s repeated instructions to officials that bed should be provided to Covid positive patients within 30 minutes are not being implemented. Even patients having financial capacity are turned away by private hospitals for lack of beds. People are not willing even to get tested for Covid-19 fearing pathetic conditions in government hospitals and care centres. Earlier, 100 test samples were collected in each mandal but the number has come down to less than 20-30 now. People are afraid that they will be forcibly shifted to quarantine centres if they test positive. Though many government hospitals have oxygen stocks, it is not being provided to patients.
Crossing Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh crossed Maharashtra in terms of population- cases ratio. While Maharashtra has 7 lakh cases so far among 11 crore people, AP has so far 4.5 lakh cases for only 5 crore population. Daily 10,000 new cases are adding to the tally. If the situation continues, AP will soon see 10 lakh cases.
