Hyderabad: Covid positve clamour for kits, medicines

King Koti: Amid the surging Covid-19 cases, the authorities are failing to provide basic facilities to the Covid positive patients in home quarantine as well as the asymptomatic who have imposed self-isolation upon themselves at home. As a result, the hapless, especially the poor, are rushing to Koranti Fever Hospital for medicines and home isolation kits.

More shocking is that they are using public transport to reach the hospital. They say they know they are putting others at risk, but they are helpless as they cannot afford private transport. A prior planning by officials before the second wave of Covid hit the city would have prevented such a sorry state of affairs.

These patients asked the government to provide them with home isolation kit which comprises medicine, masks, gloves, sanitizer and other necessities. Sushil Kumar, who stood sixth in the queue, said, "On getting a job opportunity abroad I had to undergo mandatory Covid test for visa process. Following which I was detected with asymptomatic infection and later three members from my also tested positive."

"Out of the five family members, four have tested positive. As we are under home quarantine, getting medicines and other necessitates has become a great difficulty. In spite of knowing that I might cause infection to others, I had to leave my home for medicines and come to hospital by public transport, he added.

Like in the previous year the GHMC must provide home isolation kit to the Covid-19 patients, he urged.

Many such worried patients who have been asked to stay under quarantine say that the health wing of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is failing to meet its medical and other essential services.

"I tested positive almost a week ago and all these days I only took Paracetamol tablet. Only when my neighbor informed me that I should be taking other medicine I came to the hospital. I am standing in the queue for almost half an hour. Even Basti Dawakhana doctor didn't tell me which medicine to take," said Mohammad Saleem, 58 years-old auto driver. As many as 40 patients were seen standing in the queue.

Last year GHMC health department distributed as many as 20,000 'self-care kits' to mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients, who were under home quarantine.

However, according to the state health department media bulletin, as on Monday 302 new cases have been reported, whereas, in the past three days, the active cases were 283 and 253. And there are 79.2 per cent of asymptomatic cases in the State and 26.2 per cent of symptomatic cases.