In an appalling incident, health workers in Andhra Pradesh were seen fetching coronavirus patients in a garbage truck. The video of the incident, which happened in Vizianagaram district, was shared on Twitter by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on late Sunday (August 2) night.
Expressing disappointment on authorities over shifting of three suspected Covid-19 patients in a garbage truck to a hospital in Andhra Pradesh, the TDP chief said, "Appalling! Three Covid-19 patients in BC Colony, Jarjapupeta in Vizianagaram Dist were seen taken to the hospital in a 'Garbage vehicle' (sic)."
Chandrababu Naidu also condemned the incident and went on to ask: "Don't know about coronavirus, but the helpless patients might contract other dangerous diseases. Why are they not being treated like humans?"
The video has created a lot of outrage on social media with netizens bashing Andhra Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Here's how Twitterati reacted to the incident:
A Twitter user said, "One of the worst CM ever Andhra Pradesh had and totally selfish person in terms of all aspects, really surprised how common man has voted just for peanuts, he is destroying the name of AP across the globe."
Another one wrote, "Though they are cleaned, they are meant to carry Garbage only. So sad to see that our state AP came to this position, forcing to use garbage vehicles to move covid patients. I definitely blame the government for this. This shows the worst functionality of government."
"What happened to 108 Ambulance that were recently purchased and distributed. They were launched in grand style," asked a Twitterati.
The video goes viral, inquiry ordered
The viral video got over 41,000 views on Twitter. Following the incident, Vizianagaram District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr Ramana Kumari said she will order an inquiry into the matter.
"According to preliminary information, this incident most probably took place two days ago, on Friday," Dr Ramana Kumari told news agency ANI.
Nellimarla Nagar Panchayat Commissioner JR Appala Naidu issued a statement on this Coronavirus related news, "As per the orders of the honorable district collector, I held an inquiry into the matter. I came to know that the garbage truck is being used to carry Sodium Hypochlorite, bleaching powder and 20 kg salt required for burying the corona deceased," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
"The persons seen in the vehicle are not corona patients. That vehicle has never been used for shifting Covid patients. Municipal staff has never transported any Covid patients in the garbage truck. I inform these findings to the district collector," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
