Chhattisgarh has taken effective, practical and phase-wise pro-active preparations to tackle Covid-19 and has been successful in controlling the situation, Health and Family Welfare Minister T.S. Singh Deo said on Wednesday.
He was answering a call attention motion on the third day of the winter session of the Assembly.
BJP's Brijmohan Agrawal had through call attention motion accused the government of failing to control Covid-19. Citing data and comparing it with other states, he said Chhattisgarh has lagged behind.
The poor have been hit the most as they have been forced to sell their valuables and properties for treatment in private hospitals. The government should step in by providing financial aid to the poor. Non-Covid treatment has also been hit, leading to deaths, he said.
Replying, the Minister said that Chhattisgarh has a lower fatality rate (1.2) compared to the national level (1.4). This was possible due to coordinated efforts from higher officials to Mitanins.
He said the government accepts that due to negligence on the part of people, the death rate is higher as there are cases where many patients have been brought dead or in critical stage due to delay in taking timely medical intervention.
He asked how many members in the House are wearing masks. The government is doing the best it can. But to face a similar epidemic, there is need to further strengthen the infrastructure and human resources across the state.
The government has ensured free treatment in its hospitals. If people still want to go to private hospitals, it was their choice, he replied.