Union Home Minister Amit Shah has himself come into action to deal with the everincreasing cases of coronavirus in the national capital. Within 36 hours, Shah has held three consecutive meetings. On Sunday, he had a meeting with all the mayors of MCDs in which Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and L-G Anil Baijal were also present. On Monday, he called an all-party meeting and sought the views of all political parties in Delhi. The meeting was attended by BJP state president Aadesh Gupta, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh, Congress Delhi state president Anil Chaudhary, Union Home Secretary, Union Health Secretary, Delhi’s Chief Secretary, and the Delhi Government’s Principal Secretary Health.
In the meeting, Shah made it clear that it is time to deal with the pandemic and all parties should separate their political agendas. Amit Shah had made it clear on Sunday that the number of tests done in Delhi would now have to be increased. From 20 June, there will be 18,000 tests carried out every day in Delhi and a new way of efficient testing will be revealed soon. It will take very little time for the report to come and the price will also be very low. According to AAP MP Sanjay Singh, the report will come in just 15 minutes and it will cost only Rs 450. This information was given by the Union Ministry of Health in the all-party meeting. Right now, it takes 48 hours for the report to come and it costs around Rs 4,800. In many cases, it was observed that the report came after the death of the patient.
AAP’s Sanjay Singh said: “In today’s meeting, I have discussed all issues together from poor oxygen supply to availability of beds. Central government hospitals have 2,000 beds and we are increasing another 1,900 beds; private hospitals have 4,400 beds and they are increasing their capacity to another 1,178 beds. In 8,000 bedrailway coaches, 500 beds will be increased. Beds will also be increased in 4,000 hotels and several other places. A total of 37,000 beds will be increased by the Delhi government.”
“IAS officers will monitor both private and government hospitals. The test will give result in just 15 minutes and cost only Rs 450. We also spoke of increasing 1,000 beds in the NCR. Like the cases of callousness in hospitals are out in the news, it is also a fact that the same hospitals have cured over 2,000 patients and sent them back home. This needs to be reassured among the public,” Singh said.
Aadesh Gupta, President, Delhi BJP, informed The Daily Guardian, “There will be door-to-door mapping in the containment zone. 500 more coaches will be available in 15 days, which will increase the number of beds. 37,000 beds will be available in Delhi in a few days. Work is also being done on the arrangement of ventilators. Everyone has to fight this epidemic without any political discrimination. The committee will report on the charges of the private hospitals in two days. From tomorrow, BJP will distribute decoction, sanitizer, and face masks to 10 lakh people.”
It is also clear from the meeting held on Sunday and Monday that the arbitrariness of private hospitals in Delhi will soon come to a stop. The Daily Guardian had informed the government about the loot by private hospitals in Delhi and the government had called for a rate list of treatment for corona patients in private hospitals. A panel of doctors has also been formed to take a decision on this.
Anil Chaudhary, president, Delhi Congress, said, “It is better late than never. We provided a list of 11 suggestions. The AAP government was sleeping for 85 days and now they have taken up. Delhi government has three hospitals and 2,609 beds could have been prepared in the hospitals, but why was it not done? It is AAP’s responsibility to respond. Nothing is ready yet. I have requested feedback regarding private hospitals as well. I want a clear policy.”
A few hours after concluding the all-party meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also reached LNJP Hospital, where he took stock of preparations at LNJP. It is clear that disturbing pictures from LNJP Hospital are constantly coming up on social media in which the problems faced by the patients are visible. There is negligence with regards to corpses as well. LNJP Hospital is the largest hospital of the Delhi government for the treatment of corona with 2,000 beds. The Supreme Court has also expressed concern over the negligence of patients there.