Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 13: Expressing his anger over unprecedented morality rate in Jammu province, former Minister and senior vice president of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Raman Bhalla today observed that the Department of Health and Medical Education is suffering with ‘policy paralysis’ due to casual approach of those at the helm of the affairs.
This was observed by former Minister after visiting several hospitals to get review of facilities and treatment being provided to COVID-19 patients. “The so-called preparedness of the Government to deal with the pandemic has been exposed during the second wave of deadly virus”, Bhalla said, adding, “prevailing mayhem at Government Medical College Hospital Jammu and its associated hospitals is a clear indication that preparations to fight deadly virus were only on papers and not translated on the ground”.
Bhalla recalled during first wave of the deadly virus when GMC Jammu was reeling under acute shortage of oxygen, it was officially announced that 37 oxygen plants would be established within a maximum time of three months. Authorities had announced that tenders worth Rs 223 crores were already floated for the same. “After recording unprecedented death rate, authorities swung into action and established some oxygen plants in haphazard manner just to hide their mistakes”, he observed. “Had authorities taken some measures in the year 2020 during peak of the first wave of the deadly virus many precious human lives would have been taken”, he said.
He observed that there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. Despite fast-tracking, there are formalities of approval, agreeing over prices, conditions that need to be taken care of before placing orders. In addition, there are logistical issues related to many foreign vaccines. Such is the pride of this Government that anyone who tries to advise it is met with scorn. Those who advised it to bring in foreign vaccines earlier were labeled as ‘foreign agents’.
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