Former MLA and Janata Dal (S) leader N.H. Konaraddi has said that as the State government was focussing entirely on the treatment of COVID-19 patients and using the entire medical infrastructure for the purpose, other patients were finding it difficult to get even basic medical facilities.
Alleging that the medical infrastructure for non-COVID-19 patients had crumbled in the district, Mr. Konaraddi has written a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad, Nitesh Patil, and urged him to take remedial steps.
Mr. Konaraddi said that patients, particularly those from the rural areas, were the worst-hit as even those who had health issues unrelated to COVID-19 were being forced to undergo COVID-19 test before entering the hospital.
He said there were no beds for non-COVID-19 patients in government hospitals, and private hospitals had almost closed their doors to them as well.
Mr. Konaraddi pointed out that while it was crucial to address issues related to the pandemic, the district administration seemed to have forgotten that patients of cancer, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, and other ailments also required regular treatment and healthcare facilities. “While doctors are not attending to these patients, in cases of emergencies they are being asked to undergo COVID-19 test even when not required,” he said. He urged the district administration to take strict action against hospitals registered under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act if they fail to treat regular patients.
In his letter, Mr. Konaraddi has also urged the government to take steps to address the issue of non-availability of urea in the market. He urged the district administration to take action against merchants fleecing farmers by selling urea at high prices.