New Delhi: Congress general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday wrote a letter addressed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath citing concerns about the rising cases of coronavirus.
In a 10-point suggestion letter to the CM, Gandhi expressed concerns over the low testing rate and acute shortage of beds in the state hospitals.
She alleged that the Yogi Government is not just reducing the testing rate but also trying to hide the figures of deaths in the state.
She stated in her letter, "Do not leave people alone to fight Corona in this battle of humanity, you are accountable to them. During this crisis, if you do not put all the resources of the government with determination, then future generations will never forgive you."
"Whatever your motive behind the order of jailing the people exposing the truth of this crisis and confiscating their property, please first focus your attention on trying to control this deadly virus and this will be possible only when the UP government will be willing to believe that this is a time of health emergency," the letter read.
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On the issue of reduced testing rate in UP, she said, "The second wave of the Corona epidemic is in its terrible form. Devastation is at a peak in many cities of Uttar Pradesh. By crossing the boundaries of cities, now this epidemic is spreading in the villages. The biggest concern is that the rate of corona testing is much lower in the state than the speed with which corona cases are increasing. There are also a large number of cases which are not being reported."
She pointed out that in a state with a population of 23 crores, the state government has only 126 test centers and 115 private test centers.
Priyanka Gandhi questioned, "This battle of corona all over the world rests on four pillars - testing, treatment, track, and vaccination. If you will make the first pillar fall, then how will we defeat this deadly virus?"
Concerning the shortage of beds, oxygen, medicines, and their massive black marketing in hospitals, Congress leader alleged that the Ayushman card scheme has failed, as it is not considered by any hospital due to which people are being forced to pay three or four times the price of oxygen, Remdesivir and other life-saving drugs.
"Our third concern is to reduce the number of robberies and total deaths due to ruthlessness at the crematoriums. On whose instructions, this game of showing less data is being played every day in each and every district of UP? People are not getting wood for the cremation of the dead bodies, families have to wait for 12 hours for an ambulance to take their loved ones to the crematorium ghats, because there is no coupon," she added.
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She also slammed the Government for its "sluggish vaccination program" in Uttar Pradesh as the immunization had started 5 months later, but less than 1 crore people have been vaccinated in the state so far.
She also demanded that there should be proper transparency in the data of corona infection and death data, being in consultation with crematoriums, cemeteries, and municipal bodies.
"All medical personnel, medical and para-medical staff retired from territorial service should be called to work in hospitals near their homes. Testing centers should also be opened in rural areas, ensuring that at least 80% of the tests are by RTPCR. She also urged the CM to encourage people, groups, and institutions to come forward and help others," she said.
Gandhi's suggestion also includes that the need for an announcement of a dedicated economic package for all health workers and frontline workers, re-notifying all the closed Covid hospitals and care centers immediately, and increase the availability of oxygen-rich beds on a war footing.
She further suggested, "With the help of Anganwadi and Asha workers, corona kits of medicines and equipment should be distributed in rural areas, so that people can get treatment and medicines at the right time and there is no need to go to the hospital. Black marketing of life-saving medicines should be banned. Rate of important life-saving medicines should be fixed."
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She said that a policy of storage of oxygen should be made immediately so that a reserve store of oxygen can be prepared at every district headquarters for emergencies. Every oxygen tanker should be given ambulance status across the state to make transportation easier.
"Immediate vaccination should be started at war level in the state. UP will need at least Rs 10,000 crore to vaccinate 60% of the state's population, while it has allocated only Rs 40 crore. Therefore, I urge you to explore the possibility of manufacturing vaccines in Bharat Immunological and Biological Corporation in Bulandshahr," she further added.
