Covid patient denied admission to hospital prior to inauguration by CM

As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc and the common man struggles, politicians and officials seem not to be bothered. ETV Bharat carried out a reality check to see how effective the system is.

Dehradun: In Uttarakhand, there has been a rampant spread of the Coronavirus infection. Though the government and health department claim that they are making every effort to control the situation, something else is happening on the ground.

When ETV Bharat tried to contact the health department and the CMO requesting help to admit a Covid19 patient who was critical, to the Base Hospital that was to be inaugurated by CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, the officials denied permission.

ETV Bharat had dialled the Haridwar CMO Shambhu Kumar to understand how serious the leaders and officials are when it comes to treating Covid19 cases. The CMO gave a detailed explanation about the various facilities available in the hospital, adding that all arrangements for oxygen and beds have been completed and the hospital is fully ready and that it would operate as soon as the Chief Minister inaugurates it.

Again at 1:30 pm when the CMO was informed that the patient, a resident of Shatikunj in Haridwar, was facing trouble breathing and is in a critical condition, the reply by the former was shocking.

CMO SK Jha made it clear that the hospital will not open before the inauguration by CM. Also, when we requested whether the patient could be admitted immediately after the opening, then the CMO said that though admission would be given by evening, the treatment would begin only on the next day.

Actually, the base hospital which is being inaugurated in Haridwar was built for Kumbh Mela. Now that Kumbh is over, it has been converted into a Covid Hospital.

Now the question which arises is that when the hospital is fully ready with the CM about to inaugurate it in a few hours, why are patients not being admitted?

Is the CM inaugurating the hospital more valuable than a patient's life?

Also when Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, MLAs and Ministers were inaugurating the base hospital, at Baba Barfani Hospital which is just a few steps away 63 people lost their lives in just 33 days.