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HP health minister takes a trip to Covid-19 ward, meets patients

HP health minister takes a trip to Covid-19 ward, meets patients
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Shimla: In a first-ever confidence building act, Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal on Monday took a rare initiative to visit Covid care ward of state's leading Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla to meet the patients and also inspect facilities being provided to the infected patients.

Dr Saizal wore PPE kit and went round four isolation wards of the hospital, which has a bed strength of 100 –biggest high risk Corona care centre. He was accompanied by Dr Janak Raj, senior medical superintendent of the Hospital, who himself was tested positive for the disease but fought back to resume his work last week.

Before being tested positive last month, Dr Janak Raj performed a care neurological surgery on a 60-year old woman from Bilaspur on October 22, posting a 100 percent recovery –a fact minister himself highlighted during his visit, appreciating the achievement of Dr Janak. The minister, who later also released a video footage of his visit inside the Covid care wards said he was in the hospital only to review the facilities for the patients and health care initiatives but also boost morale of the patients undergoing a lot of stress and even the doctors and staff.

He went bed to bed to individually meet the patients and enquired about their well being posing them questions on their conditions and kind of diet being given, besides visits of the medical care staff and doctors. "The patients were satisfied with facilities. Some informed about the role of the doctors and paramedical staff, besides safai karamcharis visiting them at midnight and asking about their health. The health workers also cleaned the ward at 12 o'clock at night," he said.

Health Minister said the government and the medical department were doing a great job and their work can be compared with soldiers guarding the borders of the country.

He said the health workers were working day in and out risking their lives and in difficult conditions for 7 to 8 hours.While in the PPE kit they can't consume water, eat food or sip tea and seen mostly in standing positions unable to even sit properly.

"They too have families, kids and spouses to take care.In some cases both spouses were working togather to render their services to the patients and have even saved the lives," he said.

The minister took exception to the criticism done by the opposition Congress accusing the government of its inability to handle the situation.

"I invite the opposition leaders to visit the hospital and themselves see the conditions under which the doctors and paramedical staff were working day and night," said Dr Saizal.

He also asked those who had recovered from the Covid to visit the patients and counsel them as being in isolation for days together can face so many issues. The minister claimed that all the ministers of the state were keeping a close watch on the Covid-19 situation in all hospitals and the Chief Minister was vigilant in taking quick actions as his only concern is how to save the people of Himachal Pradesh from this pandemic.

Meanwhile, CM, who earlier in the day took a round of Shimla's Mall road to make an assessment of the situation and people following the norms including wearing masks, convened an emergency meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday to decide whether to hold next session of state Vidhan Sabha, as slated on December 7 at Dharamshala or put off the session in view of spike in cases.

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