Haryana: Covid-19 patients protest for better facilities

AMBALA: Coronavirus patients lodged at a Covid Care Centre at SRM College campus in Naraingarh block have been protesting for the past two days demanding better facilities.
The patients alleged that four Covid-19 patients isolated at SRM Covid Centre, who were creating ruckus for the past two days, have been home quarantined by the health department officials without any negative reports. They said these patients were firstly isolated at the SRM facility.
“However, the patients, who are getting treatment for the past 13 days, have not been discharged or shifted to home quarantine,” said the protesting patients.
Angered over the functioning of the responsible officials, the Covid-19 patients sat on a protest from Sunday night and till 12pm on Monday, without having any meal.
Notably, a team of health department officials led by deputy civil surgeon Dr Sanjeev Singla visited SRM facility for inspection on Sunday, but the patients continued their protest on Monday as well.
Ambala deputy commissioner (DC) Ashok Kumar Sharma also visited Naraingarh on Monday, where he held a meeting with the concerned officials including sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Aditi and senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Tarun Prasad and instructed them to conduct an enquiry and report the matter at the earliest.
The patients alleged that the government is providing all the monetary support for treatment of Covid-19 patients, but the facilities are not provided at the ground-level.
They said they are getting three meals per day from Radha Soami Satsang Bhawan and the department is not even providing them drinking water.
The patients on Monday ended their protest after local administration provided facilities.
Ambala DC Ashok said, “I visited Naraingarh area on Monday and held meeting with the concerned officials. I have asked them to conduct an enquiry into the home isolation of four patients and report at the earliest. The patients at SRM are provided good open campus facilities. The recovery rate of SRM Covid Care Centre is also good as compared to the hospitals. They are provided food through Radha Soami Satsang Bhawan and I have instructed the officials to provide them mineral water bottles too.”