THE CPI(M), on July 16, organised a state-wide satyagraha in front of government hospitals in Telangana to highlight and protest the state and central governments’ failure in containing the spread of Covid-19 in the state. Over 47,000 Covid-19 positive cases have been reported across the state and more than 400 people have succumbed to the infection so far.

The protests were held in 196 centres across Telangana wherein nearly 4,700 people participated. They demanded more number of Covid-19 tests among the wider population to rein in the virus and also sought filling up of vacancies in the government health department for better functioning of the body. The Party also demanded that the government should take over private hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients who are increasing by hundreds everyday and to include the treatment under Arogyasri scheme.

They demanded the government to put up the details of Covid-19 tests in public domain online. They also urged the government to take care of home isolation patients and to provide financial assistance to poor families who tested positive, in addition to medical facilities. Demands of hike in salaries of outsourcing and contract employees, regularisation of their services, provision of safety equipment and other facilities for government doctors and nurses to work, have also been raised at the satyagraha. The Party said that the state government has admitted to its failure in controlling Covid-19 spread by transferring IAS officers overnight.

The state government deployed a big police force to thwart the protests and barricaded some places to prevent the agitators from reaching the hospitals. CPI(M) Central Committee members Cherupally Seetharamulu and G Nagaiah, state secretariat members D G Narasimha Rao, Julakanti  Rangareddy, B Venkat, Jyothi, P Saibabu, John Wesley, Hyderabad city secretariat member M Srinivasa Rao stood at the forefront of the protests and were arrested in Hyderabad. Similar arrests were made in Medak, Nizamabad, Warangal Rural districts. In some centres, memorandums with demands were submitted to hospitals’ superintendent and officials. A dharna was organised in front of Khammam collectorate and protests were organised in Nalgonda, Khammam, Suryapet, Bhadradri, Mahabubabad and Yadadri districts as well.

OSMANIA HOSPITAL ISSUE

On July 17, CPI(M) state secretariat members Julakanti Rangareddy, D G Narasimharao, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy, Professor Kodandaram and a few other leaders of the Left parties, visited Osmania hospital, the standard Covid-19 unit in Hyderabad and inspected its pathetic condition. They noticed that drainage water was leaking into the hospital inpatient ward and that flood water has entered the hospital wards. They demanded that the drainage system be restored forthwith and sought a thorough enquiry into the issue.

J Rangareddy and D G Narasimharao said that a health emergency should be declared in the state and questioned the state chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for failing to keep his promise of building new blocks in Osmania hospital and providing corporate hospital-like treatment in the government hospital. They reminded that the CM promised to give Rs 100 crore for Osmania hospital but did not give even Rs 1 lakh as yet. They demanded that Covid-19 treatment be provided in area hospitals also.