Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, May 13

The ‘Fateh’ kit provided by the state government to Covid patients includes 20 items, but the ones being delivered now are without pulse oximeters.

Just one plaint so far

• Multipurpose Health Worker Ravinder Sharma, who supplies kits in Sangrur city, feigned ignorance
• “To date, we have received only one complaint and we are looking into the matter. We are only supplying kits. We have no role in its preparation,” he said

The patients and their relatives have demanded a high-level inquiry as the price of oximeter has increased after the outbreak of Covid.

“I tested positive on Monday and received my kit on Tuesday morning. But oximeter is missing and when I raised the issue with the delivery man, he did not give a satisfactory reply. Health officials may claim that I have been lying, but I have recorded a video while opening the kit as someone had told me last evening about missing oximeters from kits. The government must look into the issue,” said a 48-year-old woman.

After The Tribune called up some patients, it became evident that oximeters had been missing from the kits since the last month. “I and my wife had tested positive on April 22 and received our kits on April 24. But oximeters were missing from both the kits. We had informed health officials, but nobody took an action. Senior authorities must withdraw oximeters from the list of 20 items if they are unwilling to supply it to patients,” said a 70-year-old man.

AAP leader Inderpal Singh demanded a high-level inquiry and alleged that black marketing of oximeters had peaked. “If authorities have mentioned oximeter on the list, they must provide it to all patients,” he said.

The kit includes pulse oximeter with a year’s warranty, digital thermometer, steamer, hand sanitiser, giloy tablets, vitamin-C, vitamin D-3, vitamin zinc tablets, topcid, amunity plus liquid, tab doxycylin, tablet ivermectin, Dolo 650 mg, multi vitamin tablets, cough syrup, Betadyne gargles, Levo Cetirizine tablets, face masks and balloons.

MPHW Ravinder Sharma, who supplies kits in Sangrur city, feigned ignorance and said to date he had received only one complaint on Tuesday morning and he was looking into the matter. “We are only supplying kits and we have no role in its preparation,” he added.