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Updated September 13th, 2020 at 13:12 IST

Opp, section of ruling BJP MLAs allege 'mismanagement' in Tripura coronavirus hospital

All major opposition parties and a section of legislators of the ruling BJP in Tripura have expressed concern over the "mismanagement" of COVID-19 cases in G B Pant Hospital, the state's main referral hospital here and alleged that patients admitted in it are dying "unattended and uncared for".

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All major opposition parties and a section of legislators of the ruling BJP in Tripura have expressed concern over the "mismanagement" of COVID-19 cases in G B Pant Hospital, the state's main referral hospital here and alleged that patients admitted in it are dying "unattended and uncared for".

Tripura PCC president Pijush Biswas on Saturday alleged that coronavirus patients in the hospital were facing limitless suffering. "There are no healthcare staff in the hospital to attend to the patients and they are dying unattended," he claimed.

BJP MLA and former health minister Sudip Roy Barman and Sushanta Chowdhury, another legislator of the party who had visited the hospital recently, said on Thursday that the patients are suffering due to "mismanagement". Leader of Opposition, Manik Sarkar had earlier this week voiced his concern over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state and had said that people have "lost their faith in the public healthcare system of the state." G B Pant Hospital medical superintendent Debashis Roy admitted that the facility had more patients than its capacity and the management was facing a tough time in handling the situation.

The Tripura High Court on Friday took suo motu cognisance of media reports on the plight of coronavirus patients and their relatives in the hospital. It directed the state government to file an affidavit within September 18 providing detailed information on the infrastructure available in the state-run hospital to treat coronavirus patients.

According to the official figures available with the court, Tripura has 2,865 hospital beds across the state for coronavirus patients. These include beds in district hospitals, COVID-19 care centres and COVID-19 hospitals. Of the 2,865 beds, G B Pant Hospital has 240 beds after the recent increase from 180 in its COVID-19 ward.

The court had observed that the hospital has 279 patients as on date, which is higher than the number of beds available at the facility. Moreover, only 19 ventilators are available in Tripura and all of them are at G B Pant Hospital. In this situation any patient with acute breathing difficulty, which is a symptom of COVID-19, will have to be shifted to Agartala, the court observed.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is touring districts, urging hospital authorities in those areas to treat COVID-19 patients instead of referring them to the Agartala facility. Sarkar, a former chief minister and CPI-M Politburo member told newsmen that COVID-19 patients are afraid to get admitted to government hospitals in the state and queues are getting longer at the private health facilities. "There is a shortage of PPE kits in the state. Doctors are afraid of visiting coronavirus wards as they are not provided with protective equipment," he said.

Not only the G B Pant Hospital but all the public health facilities are "badly managed", Sarkar said adding that the healthcare system has collapsed in the state. "The GB Pant Hospital was once the pride of the people because of the care and treatment that were provided by it. But now patients who are admitted in it are fleeing," he said.

Roy Barman alleged that those entrusted with the responsibility of the health department have failed to tackle the COVID-19 situation in Tripura as a result of which people are dying untreated and uncared for. "We cannot allow this. The CM hould interact more frequently with the people and healthcare staff," the BJP MLA said.

Ray Barman was the health minister of the state for 14 months. He was removed from the cabinet in June last year and the health portfolio is now held by the chief minister. He demanded a "fully dedicated" health minister for proper coordination with the staff, the patients and people.

"When the chief minister is holding 27 departments alone how will he manage the health department in such a situation? We need a separate health minister." Roy Barman claimed that he has a photograph of the body of a COVID-19 patient lying in a corner of G B Pant hospital. The patient's daughter had managed to get a photograph by giving money to a sweeper and with the help of that person the body was taken for cremation.

Tripura health director Subhashish Debbarma admitted that hospital staff might have taken time to clear bodies of some COVID-19 patients but denied that they were left unattended for long. Biswas claimed that doctors and nurses do not visit the wards of the hospital because they do not have PPE kits. "There is none to serve food to them," he said.

The high court has directed the government to inform it about the total number of coronavirus cases, condition of COVID-19 treatment centres with the break up of necessary infrastructure, availability of medicines and the medical and paramedical workforce in such centres. It has also sought report on lack of communication between patients and their relatives, fund allocation and steps taken to improve the condition of state-run coronavirus treatment centres.

Welcoming the HC's observation, Advocate General Arun Kanti Bhowmik had said the court's intervention would help the government solve any outstanding problems that might exist.

 

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Published September 13th, 2020 at 13:12 IST

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