Focus more on ramping up health infrastructure to save lives: TPCC Gudur Narayana Reddy to CM KCR

Hyderabad: Congress on Sunday felt that KCR will be remembered in history as the leader who did nothing to save people's lives, but made arrangements for their last rites.

Expressing deep concern over reports of the State government setting up 5 new LPG-based crematoria in city, in view of rising number of Covid-19 cases, TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said that instead of finding means to tamper with the data of coronovirus cases and deaths and exploring means for fast cremation of bodies, KCR government should have focused on strengthening the health infrastructure so as to save as many lives as possible.

"The Covid-19 death toll in Telangana, as being shown in the official media bulletin never exceeded 15 on any given day. If the official figures are genuine, then why the State government is making arrangements to cremate 60 more bodies in addition to the existing crematoria. Are the authorities expecting the situation to worsen further or are they hiding an already worsened condition from the people?" Narayana Reddy asked.

The Congress leader in a media statement felt that the Chief Minister should have dedicated all resources to handle the Covid-19 situation in the initial stages. However, KCR focused on diverting people's attention and hiding real numbers of Covid-19 cases and deaths. Despite a rise in both the number of positive cases and deaths, the government is not upgrading the hospitals by ensuring supply of quality oxygen and required medicines. He said several deaths have been reported in the last few days where patients in government hospitals died due to non-availability of oxygen.

The Congress leader also alleged that the details of infrastructure and bed occupancy in government hospitals being provided by the Director of Public Health in the daily media bulletin were incorrect and misleading.

"As per the media bulletin, of 18,547 active cases (as on 1st August till 8 pm), as many as 12,001 were getting treatment in home/institutional isolation. It means that a total of 6,546 are admitted in hospitals. The bulletin says that a total of 2,397 beds including 829 Isolation; 1,298 Oxygen and 270 ICU beds in government hospitals were occupied. This means that the remaining 4,149 patients are getting treatment in 94 private hospitals. The Health Minister should clarify as to why a majority of patients were preferring treatment in private hospitals if the government hospitals have good facilities?" he asked.