Doctors in Rae Bareli present grim picture of 'active quarantine' centre; govt swings into action

Doctors treating coronavirus patients in Rae Barely in Uttar Pradesh complained of extremely unhygienic conditions of the quarantine centre that was set up in a government school for them. They were shifted out following the videos they circulated highlighting the conditions.

The staff is not allowed to go home as they are under 'active quarantine' and because they were kept in unhygienic conditions they wrote to the chief medical officer, who swung into action.

In response, the chief medical officer, Dr SK Sharma, visited the school to check if the allegations were true and after returning he ordered that doctors should be shifted out. Dr Sharma said, "I inspected the place myself and I did not find the facilities up to the mark. With the help of the administration we have shifted them to a nearby guest house and we will ensure they have no issues with living condition or food and they can be fully satisfied and work. We are also arranging for a live kitchen there so the doctors can get hot cooked food."

Videos were released by doctors

Three videos were released by the doctors. One was made at 3 am in the morning and the other was made during lunchtime on Wednesday, reports NDTV.

A man can be heard in the video saying, "It is 3 am. There is no electricity; there are four cots to a single room. This is five-star class (but) not even a fan is working. Let me show you the common bathrooms here. The urinals have no pipes and the latrines are choked."

In the second video, food served to the doctors is shown. The lunch comprised of pooris and sabzi all huddled together in polythene.

In a third video, which was shot on Wednesday morning, a doctor dressed in protective equipment explains why healthcare workers are furious.

"Sleeping arrangements are such that there is a school with big classrooms; each room has four beds. This is against the rules of active quarantine. When we complained about choked bathrooms, they brought a mobile toilet. There was no electricity at night. A 20-litre water bottle was given to us last night and we were told this had to be shared."

An executive order was passed by the government just hours after Home Minister Amit Shah declared 'safety and dignity of doctors are non-negotiable'. The order stated that attacks on doctors will be a non-bailable offence punishable with prison time of up to seven years and a hefty fine.

One of the doctors stated that what if one of us is infected; won't it affect so many others.