21 +ve truckers flee from Steel City Covid camp

Jamshedpur: Twenty-one truck drivers, who had tested positive for the coronavirus on rapid antigen kits, escaped from a Covid testing camp organised at Transport Nagar near Dimna Chowk on requests from the truckers’ association. After the 21 drivers and heir helpers tested positive, health department authorities asked them to wait at the camp for some time to tell for them to finish testing the others.
Jamshedpur Truck and Trailer Owner Association’s head Jasbir Singh said, “Around 151 drivers and helpers were tested for the virus. Instead of getting treated, the 21 positive ones fled from the spot.” Health officials at the camp said the positive persons will be contacted over phone and invited for counselling so that their fear of quarantine or treatment can be addressed.
Dr Anita Banerjee, a retired general physician of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital, said, “It has often been seen that a large number of people fear being quarantined and try to escape. The government should take steps to remove this fear from the minds of the people and make them understand that going to hospital is not a punishment.”
Pointing out a recent example, she said a large mob had gathered at Harijan Bustee in the city and stopped the administration from shifting 36 Covid patients to isolation centres. “There have been extreme cases where patients have ended their lives at hospitals after they were unable to bear the agony,” Banerjee said.
There are a large number of complaints that family members of those admitted at various Covid hospitals are not being informed properly about the condition of patients. Techie Shantanu Mukherjee, whose brother-in-law was admitted to Tata Medical Hospital after he complained of breathing troubles on Wednesday, said doctors are not giving any information about the patient’s health status.
Meanwhile, the administrative block of Kolhan University was shut after a staff tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday. Sources said the university building will be closed till August 22 and the premises will be sanitised. The university staff are now working from home.