Kolkata: A video that was recently posted on social media allegedly shows two bodies lying in the isolation ward of MR Bangur Hospital where other COVID-19 suspects were also kept.
It not only created a flutter but also stoked a huge political controversy as a BJP MP from the state seemed to have indulged in mudslinging by using this particular video, perhaps to gain some political mileage at a time when the entire country is battling a global pandemic.
What is more striking to the political observers is that BJP MP Babul Supriyo who happens to be a Union minister did not even bother to check the authenticity of the video before uploading it in his Twitter handle with an apparent attempt to get people swayed by his own outlandish claims and also to hurl criticism on the Mamata Banerjee government.
However, besides all this paraphernalia, the real story is something completely different. MR Bangur Hospital authorities have already rubbished the claims made by the person who had captured the video and circulated it on social media.
He, who shot the video possibly on his mobile phone, introduced himself as a patient at the isolation ward where the COVID-19 suspects have been kept. The whole premise of his argument was based mainly on three claims — two bodies were kept lying at the ward for 2-3 hours, the bodies might have spread the infection among other patients and the beds inside the ward were kept without maintaining the minimum recommended distance.
MR Bangur Superintendent Dr Sishir Naskar told Millennium Post that the two bodies had been removed following the standard protocol.
"Normally, it takes four hours to confirm the death of a person. After four hours, a doctor formally certifies the death of the patient. Till it is confirmed, a patient is kept in the ward. Everything was done as per standard protocol."
The reason behind capturing the video and eventually circulating it on social media was therefore unfounded.
Dr Naskar also added: "As per the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, the infection does not spread from the body of the person who has died and hence the allegations are baseless. Even maintaining a minimum gap of 1.5-3 metres between two beds as prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is followed and there is a standard gap between the beds at the isolation ward."
He further maintained: "This type of incident sends a wrong message to society at a time when the doctors' fraternity, nurses and health workers across the state are putting relentless efforts to save lives. There has been an attempt to malign the efforts of the health workers which is very unfortunate," he added.
There have been several instances in the country where the family members of doctors or health workers have been harassed. The worst was reported from Chennai where a 55-year-old neurosurgeon who died after battling COVID-19, was denied dignity in death after a mob attacked the ambulance that was carrying his body to a cemetery.
"It is unfortunate that some BJP leaders and the respectable Bengal Governor have been going out of their way to criticise the state government on various pretexts and issuing statements at a time when all should put up a united fight against the pandemic," a political observer said.
In a recent tweet, Kolkata Police has clarified that Supriyo's claim that the youth who had shot the video was booked by the city police is "incorrect and it is a misinformation".