Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, June 7: As the number of Coronavirus positive patients is witnessing a surge across the country, the worst fears about where to take the victims are coming true.
According to the media reports the government in Delhi is at loggerheads with the private hospitals that are demanding “Rs 4 to 5 lakhs” to admit the Corona positive patients. The claims of Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, are falling flat that his government is “four steps ahead of the COVID-19 and enough arrangements have been put in place to handle the pandemic.”
An analyst while talking to Precious Kashmir said that disturbing reports are emanating from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and other big cities. “There are reports that patients are being denied the beds in hospitals and only the ones with the cash are being entertained,” he added.
The analyst said, “One hopes that situation in Kashmir remains under control. If the number of patients keep on increasing it will trigger a crisis. There is acute shortage of beds in the big cities so one can imagine what can happen in a place like Kashmir. The government has declared all Kashmir districts barring, Bandipora and Ganderbal, as Red Zones. This is an indication about the situation in the Valley being dangerous.”
An observer said, “Administration during the past three months has been working hard to make the people aware about the crisis which is knocking at our door. Stay home, stay safe has been the mantra but with economy opening up and government employees being asked to join their duties there is every possibility of more and more cases being reported. The question which everyone seems to be asking is that where will the patients go? And do we have requisite infrastructure to cater to the people?”
He said that there are reports that Jammu and Kashmir administration is in the process of setting up more makeshift facilities in almost all the districts of Kashmir. The Valley has witnessed a massive spike in the number of COVID-19 patients during the past one week. “The government has eased the restrictions across the country nearly after 70-days and the economy is opening up. The message seems to be clear that we have to learn to live with the Corona. It means that we should be prepared to handle more cases. Srinagar and other districts need to gear up to handle the crisis. To begin with the administration has already started asking the asymptomatic patients and the ones with mild symptoms to get quarantined within their homes. Till date neither a vaccine nor any medicine has been found which can treat this deadly virus. Crowding hospitals won’t serve anyone’s cause. People themselves have to take extra precautions to remain safe,” an another analyst said.
COVID-19: Big cities like Delhi, Mumbai face shortage of beds; how will Kashmir cope up, ask people
