New Delhi:While addressing a press conference, Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said, "There is nothing more costlier than the human life. IMA, which is a professional body, has been asking for a complete lockdown for the past 15-20 days. At this juncture, we are demanding that Central Government should make a call for national lockdown along with providing a financial assistance to the vulnerable sections. People should not die either from hunger or from pandemic."
Maken also quoted an editorial report of 'The Lancet' journal which has claimed that India will witness a staggering 'one million deaths by August 1'. He said that if it will happen then Modi Government would be "responsible for presiding over a self-inflicted national catastrophe".
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The Indian Medical Association has released a statement, on Saturday, demanding the Central Government to revamp the entire health care administration with Indian Medical Service (IMS) cadets who are well versed with the technical and administrative skill for effective execution of health care. It has even asked the Government to establish a new integrated Ministry to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front.
IMA also has proposed that the health care budget must be raised from 1% of GDP to a minimum of 8-10 % of GDP for augmentation of infrastructure, materials, and manpower by enhancing, and judiciously using the earmarked budget amount for ensuring equitable and affordable universal vaccination.
On Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the "failures of Central Government have made national lockdown inevitable". He also asked PM to implement the NYAY scheme to benefit the poor.
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Maken also attacked the Government over the spending on the Central Vista project amid the outbreak of a pandemic in the country, saying, "You are begging in front of other countries to provide some aid for Covid-19 but you can spend Rs 20,000 crores in Central Vista project. Rs 13,000 crores can be utilized to build PM's residence, but this Government can't put money in the hands of poor people."
When asked what suggestions he would like to give to Delhi Government to tackle the Covid crisis, Maken replied, "Delhi Government should prepare itself preemptively for the third wave of Coronavirus. There should be a PSA plant installed with each hospital so that they cannot get dependent on tankers. All the big hopsitals must have their own storage tanks in which oxygen can be stored atleast for a week. Along with this, Delhi Government should also consult the opposition parties and experts to get their views on tackling of Covid-19 crisis."
