GHMC must gear up to stave off Covid-19: Opposition leaders

Charminar: The Opposition leaders in Old City demanded that the official machinery not only remain alert but increase the awareness amongst the masses in the wake of spread of Covid-19 across the country and must gear up to face any possibility of outbreak. They questioned why all the government-operated clinics failed to stock and provide preventative drugs, after Health Minister Eatala Rajender administered medication on Thursday.

While referring to the handling of the dengue and malaria cases in the recent years, the opposition leaders in Old city blamed the TRS government and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for not conducting any awareness over the virus among citizens. "Since rumours are making rounds out of panic people are rushing towards the government hospitals for finding a remedy. As the Health Minister Eatala administered a dose of prevention medicine on Thursday, several people are visiting the Government hospitals for prevention medicines but returning back without any medicine," said Congress leader K Venkatesh. Speaking on issue, he said that it was government responsibility to provide any preventive medicine for virus. "The Minister is conducting the press conferences and requesting the citizens not to believe on any rumours. But the Health department or GHMC is not conducting any awareness on precautions to prevent from virus. This week it has rumoured that the virus has entered in City but later tested negative. The government is should also initiate providing precautionary medicines in UPHCs, Basti Dawakhana, Area hospitals etc.," K Venkatesh added.

"When they visit Suraj Bhan hospital in Hari Bowli and UPHC in Lal Darwaza there is no prevention medicine and surprisingly the UPHCs and Basti Dawakhanas or area hospitals are facing shortage of antibiotics and general medicines. He said that according to the UPHC staff, since the rumoured about the virus, the footfall of the patients has doubled and there is shortage of medicines", he noted. Venkatesh said that the common public is aware of the virus the party demands from government to conduct awareness and precaution among people in door-to-door campaign, in schools, colleges, area hospitals etc. He said that he had conducted an awareness programme in UPHC Lal Darwaza, Aliyabad and also distributed the precaution pamphlets among people in door-to-door, at bus stops, in busses etc, as officials were not engaged in these measures.

Meanwhile, the TDP Greater Hyderabad minority cell vice-president Mohammed Ahmed said that the GHMC failed in ensuring proper sanitation in the city. He alleged that despite the rise of cases across the nation, the official machinery remained the same in its attitude.

Taking a swipe to the GHMC officials adherence to practice of 'Swachh Namaskar', the initiative which was started by former GHMC Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy, he demanded the officials must do more than just engaging in salutation 'namaskar' which has become a symbol of avoiding personal contact and alternate for handshake.

They questioned why all the government-operated clinics failed to stock and provide preventative drugs, after Health Minister Eatala Rajender administered medication on Thursday

When they visit Suraj Bhan hospital in Hari Bowli and UPHC in Lal Darwaza there is no prevention medicine. UPHCs and Basti Dawakhanas or area hospitals are facing shortage of antibiotics and general medicines