DC Anantnag’s security guard gets whole Covid hospital, staff to himself

DC Anantnag’s security guard gets whole Covid hospital, staff to himself

Asymptomatic and fit, this person from Rajouri is the only patient admitted right now

Anantnag: The Anantnag Deputy Commissioner’s security guard, infected with Covid but asymptomatic, has got a whole Covid designated hospital, in Akoora area of the district, for himself, along with a team of medical staff present round the clock – including at least one doctor and a pharmacist – in attendance for him.
Interestingly, the daily Covid bulletin issued by the information department continues to maintain that the hospital has no patients admitted, despite this person from Rajouri admitted there for about a week now.
This special treatment is being lavished on the personal security guard of Piyush Singla, the Anantnag Deputy Commissioner (DC).
“It is atrocious to say the least,” a highly placed source in the health department told Kashmir Reader. “While people with severe symptoms are finding it hard to get a bed in Covid hospitals, this person gets the whole hospital to himself, with a line of medical and other staff at his disposal.”
The sources said that a doctor is being kept available round the clock, along with a pharmacist, a nursing orderly, and a sweeper, to attend to this patient.
“Besides, there are people from the administration who take care of food and other logistics for this security guard,” the sources said.
The health department officials rue that the medical staff could have been better utilised elsewhere. “For example, at the Trauma Hospital in Bijbehara, where more than 40 people, with acute symptoms, are admitted and there is a dearth of staff to look after them,” sources in the department said.
Ironically, the admitted person has already tested negative through the Rapid Antigen Test but is awaiting an RTPCR report to leave the facility, while the staff continues to serve him.
“He is fit and fine. He can be seen running around and exercising all day. They have turned this whole thing into a mockery,” the sources told Kashmir Reader.
This “hospital” is the newly constructed building of the New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) in Akoora that has been declared as a Covid hospital by the authorities, despite the facility having no infrastructure whatsoever.
Kashmir Reader had recently done a story on how declaring this health centre as a Covid Hospital was a disaster in the making, with no basic amenities like even an X-Ray machine.
“I guess the facility has been kept as a quarantine centre for the influential, while people are being fooled into believing that it is a Covid hospital. It is unfortunate that public resources are being used in such a callous manner by the administration,” a source in the health department said.
Kashmir Reader talked to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Anantnag, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, who acknowledged that the person is admitted to the facility. “Yes, he is a security guard. I am not sure whose security guard,” the CMO said.
He argued that the hospital had already staff dedicated to it and their duty is to attend to the patient, even if he may have no symptoms. “Human life is precious,” the CMO said.
Kashmir Reader tried to talk to DC Anantnag Piyush Singla regarding this issue. He did not answer his phone.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.