Docs, health activists’ body slams Gujarat govt. for differentiating Covid patients on faith basis
The story was published on Muslimmirror.com click here to read their original post.
New Delhi: Condemning Ahmadabad government hospital’s segregation of coronavirus patients on the faith basis in the strongest possible terms, Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum (PMSF), a pan-India body of prominent doctors and health activists, on Wednesday demanded unqualified apology from the Gujarat Chief Minister Gujarat Vijay Rupani and dismissal of his deputy and the state health minister. The doctors’ organization said by this discriminatory action the state BJP government has sent a clear message to the management, doctors and other hospitals to follow the suit which has dangerous consequences.
Even as India is still struggling with the fall out of the communalization of COVID outbreak at the Tabhlighi Jamaat gathering at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi, today’s front page newspaper headlines announced another shocker – ‘Hospital in Ahmadabad splits COVID Wards on Faith, Says Govt. Decision.’ The Medical Superintendent of the Ahmadabad Civil Hospital, Dr Gunvant H Rathod told that the hospital has created separate wards for the Hindu and the Muslim COVID-19 patients on the orders of the Gujarat state government.
Reacting on this shocking news, PMSF national president, Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti said at a time when the entire world is fighting an epic battle against the biggest health emergency, the ruling classes of the India have stooped down to the level of differentiating between patients on the basis of religion.
“It fills us with sheer disgust and a sense of insoluble hurt to our humanity to note that the ruling classes of the India have stooped down to the level of differentiating between patients on the basis of religion, and that too at a time when the entire world is fighting an epic battle against the biggest health emergency that has encompassed the entire world in over a century.”
By having allowed differentiation between the patients on the basis of faith, Gujarat’s BJP government has sent a clear message to the management, doctors and other staff of the Ahmadabad Civil Hospital, as also those of other hospitals, at least in the state, to follow suit, Dr Bhatti told while speaking with Muslim Mirror.
This is bound to have serious consequences for the wellbeing of the patients irrespective of their religion, and will undermine the confidence of vast sections of the society in public health institutions, he added.
Meanwhile, the state Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister, Nitin Patel denied any knowledge of existence of such an order and promised to enquiry into the matter.
Even though, the Health Minister promised to enquire into the matter, the very fact that such a thing could happen without his knowledge (presuming his claim to that effect to be true) speaks volumes about the state of governance under BJP state government, said Dr Vikas Bajpai, Executive member and Press Secretary of PMSF.
If indeed this act had been committed without the Minister’s knowledge, he should have forthrightly apologized for such an unpardonable act by the officers of this department, and should have given an undertaking to take strictest possible action against the culprits, Dr Bajpai added.
Both the activists warned that it is a very dangerous move that have serious consequences on the country healthcare.
“If their past record is anything to go by, then in all likelihood, the Sangh Parivar is actually testing the waters for putting into effect something far more sinister.”
The fight against COVID-19 pandemic of necessity entails the cooperation of every section, every individual of the society to restrain the transmission of the virus, but for the short sighted communal forces who presently occupy positions of power, even a health emergency of the kind the world is presently facing is but an opportunity to milk communal dividend for ensuring their grip on power, they added.
While the corona virus certainly does not discriminate between its victims on the basis of religion, the religious bigots certainly do.
“The Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum also called upon doctors and other health care professionals not to meekly submit to the conspiracies of the government and the communal establishment and they should rather expose any such attempt irrespective of the powers that be”.
Failure to do so would only lead to health workers becoming the chief recipient of the people’s ire against the system, especially as the policies being pursued by the government to tackle the ongoing health emergency have already resulted in untold suffering to the people, Dr. Bajpai warned.
“We demand from the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani to tender an unqualified apology for this policy measure taken by his government; dismiss his deputy and the state health minister, and meet out the strongest possible punishment to others who conspired in committing this act”, the doctors’ body said.
The story was published on Muslimmirror.com click here to read their original post.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
