Chandy urges govt to open more medical camps

Kottayam, June 14 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Oommen Chandy today urged the state government to open more medical camps in the viral fever-affected districts.

Talking to mediapersons, after visiting the affected areas in the region along with Pradesh Congress Committee leaders Benny Behanan and Joseph Vazhakkan, he said the situation was very serious.

Even though doctors and other para-medical staffs were rendering meritorious service, the state government failed in providing proper coordination, he said.

There were 2,970 out-patients at the Mundakkayam hospital yesterday, but the hospital did not have sufficient facilities to handle that much patients. He called for opening of more medical camps to handle the situation effectively.

Mr Chandy added that even sufficient medicine was also not available. The government failed in crisis management. Immediate steps should be taken to ensure sufficient medicine in all hospitals, he demanded.

Referring to free ration, he said even though the government had sanctioned free ration to all viral fever affected, people were not getting it because of the existing formalities. It should be minimised and necessary directions should be given to distribute ration on submitting OP tickets, he said.

Criticising the state Home Minister for blaming the previous UDF government for the outbreak of the epidemic and the media for giving publicity, Mr Chandy charged that the government was politicising the issue.

Even though the government had deputed one Ministers each for every district to coordinate the cleanliness drive, they were not coordinating the work effectively, he alleged.

It was unbecoming of a responsible Minister like Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan to blame the previous government for the failure on the part of the present government, he said.

UNI