Published 22:17 IST, July 30th 2020
Congress' Ahmed Patel writes to PM Modi about COVID-19 situation in Gujarat
Ahmed Patel has written a new letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to draw his attention to the alarming situation of COVID-19 spread in Gujarat
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel has written a new letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to draw his attention to the alarming situation of COVID-19 spread in Gujarat.
The letter has pointed out various causes for concern about the situation in the state. The letter is dated July 29 which is also incidentally the day when Gujarat had seen the highest spike in the number of cases thus far. The number of cases registered on Wednesday was 1,144. The cases are also increasing in the entire state and specifically in Bharuch as written by Patel in this letter.
Patel has said that if there are no corrective measures taken, the pandemic will "simply crush the state's healthcare system and have a cascading impact on the lives of people.' He has stated four points in a chronological manner and has pointed out that the government of Gujarat needs to amp up the testing facilities and conduct more tests. That, specifically in Bharuch, there are less than 9000 tests conducted so far. In fact, there are people who are finding it difficult to carry out tests altogether now that the virus has also started impacting the rural areas.
Patel has also pointed out there is a dire need for guidelines to be established for crematoriums so as to prevent the burial grounds, etc to become the hotspot for COVID-19 spread. He has also expressed that there is a need for proper equipments like ventilators and oxygen supplies in each and every hospital since he has gotten several 'representations from people of Bharuch ' about the lack of facilities in hospitals there.
Lastly, he has also stated that the 'rampant black market for anti viral must be curbed'. That, proper medical supply should reach the needy and because of short supply, people are being forced to buy these facilities from the black market itself.
He claimed that he had also written a letter to the Chief Minister and that 'it appears that my appeals went unnoticed'. He also stated that a central team should be sent to the ground specifically in Bharuch and other vulnerable districts to study and work upon the situation.
He appealed to PM Modi that since he has already served as a chief minister of the state once, he would understand the gravity of the situation and that he has Patel's full support in defeating this virus.
Updated 22:17 IST, July 30th 2020