The Telangana High Court on Tuesday instructed the state to submit a detailed report regarding the state’s inability to deal with the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. The court was hearing a total of 15 PILs filed on the state’s government’s inefficient handling of the pandemic.
Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Health Department Director Srinivas Rao, DME Ramesh Reddy attended the hearing through video conference. The court expressed anger over its orders being not implemented. The High Court raised many questions regarding coronavirus tests in the state, medical infrastructure and release of health bulletins.
The HC criticised the healthcare system of the state and hit out at chief secretary, health department director asking whether both knew patients were dying due to lack of oxygen facilities at various hospitals. The court observed, “How does the government prepare itself to tackle the oxygen facilities? At least 38 Covid-19 patients died due to lack of oxygen facilities?”
The court also expressed anguish over the alarming rise in corona-positive cases in the state and fatalities, and expressed anger over a report filed by the state government on Covid-19 tests being conducted in the state. It also directed the state to take steps for installing live dashboards in all the Coviddesignated hospitals for displaying important data and daily health bulletins
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar informed the court that the state government has conducted 3.5 lakh tests as per the ICMR guidelines. He also told the court that the government has declared 1,085 containment zones in Hyderabad on Tuesday. He explained that enough number of tests are being conducted daily. He said the order was placed for 4 lakh rapid antigen test kits. The Chief Secretary asked for two-week time to implement all the orders and the High Court agreed and postponed the hearing for 13 August.