JPCC president and State Finance-cum-Food Supply Minister Dr Rameshwar Oraon held a virtual meeting with all the District Presidents, zonal coordinators, and executive presidents of the party here on Saturday.
During this, on behalf of various district heads and party leaders, it was complained to the State president that in this hour of disaster, private hospitals are being arbitrary.
Party leaders said that despite oxygen being provided to many private hospitals, oxygen cylinders are not being provided to the patients, they are acting arbitrarily in providing beds and ventilators, brokers are also active in these hospitals to collect huge amounts from people. Dr Oraon assured to convey this sentiment of the party leaders to the Health Minister and the Secretary and said that their feelings will be conveyed.
Dr Oraon said that the doctors and nurses of the State are helping the people, but the complaint of the entire State is a matter of concern due to the arbitrariness of the operators of private hospitals. During the virtual meeting, Executive president Keshav Mahato Kamlesh, spokesperson Alok Kumar Dubey, Lal Kishore Nath Shahdev, Dr Rajesh Gupta Chhotu and Amulya Neeraj Khalkho were present while the virtual meeting was conducted by State Congress Social Media Coordinator Gajendra Singh.
Party officials and district presidents from across the State told that they are constantly getting complaints against private hospitals that they are charging Rs 70,000 to one lakh rupees a day from infected patients and their families, while in the past the rate of treatment was fixed by the state government. Dr. Oraon said that in this regard, he will talk to the Health Minister and Secretary and all private hospitals will also be tasked to hang the list of rates fixed by the government and publicise it.
Dr Oraon said now it is most important that people be vaccinated, but there are many misconceptions about vaccination among people.
They need to overcome it. People have to be told that the scientists of the country have discovered safe vaccines and this has saved more than 65 per cent people and there is no risk of life after taking the vaccine. Party workers will have important responsibilities in the vaccination work.
He instructed the district presidents to ensure the participation of Congress workers in the vaccination. By placing the hoardings, people will be told how to follow the protocol; people will be made aware and appealed to work with solidarity in prevention of corona infection. He informed that like the State level control room, assistance will be provided to the Covid victims through the control room at the district level as well.
On fixing the three rates of Covid-19 vaccine by the Central government, Dr. Rameshwar Oraon said that this will promote black marketing. The party condemns this and demands that the Central government make arrangements to provide free vaccines to all the poor and youth.
On the ever increasing number of patients in Ranchi, he said that the second phase of Corona is terrible but at the same time doctors from different districts like Chatra, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Dumka, Dhanbad, including other districts also send patients to Ranchi and run away from their responsibilities. This is not appropriate; the civil surgeons of the districts should activate the hospitals.
During this period, several suggestions were also made by various district heads. The district president of Deoghar also complained that BJP MP Dr. Nishikant Dubey had unnecessarily created bottlenecks. At the same time, most of the district heads mentioned lack of oxygen supported beds, injections, medicines and ventilators and demanded the state government to take immediate initiative to remove these shortcomings.