Aam Aadmi Party Karnataka launched a major attack against the BJP-ruled Yediyurappa Government in Karnataka over allegedly indulging in a massive Rs 10,000 crore corruption scam and negligence in managing Coronavirus pandemic in the state.
During a press conference in Bengaluru, Prithvi Reddy, State Convenor of Aam Aadmi Party Karnataka said that from 15th position nationally, Karnataka is at number 3rd and will soon become the 2nd most Corona affected state in India. He further added that this is the gift that the BJP Yediyurappa Government is giving for Dasara and Deepavali, to the people of the state.
Reddy further added, the complete mismanagement of Corona is only and only the result of corruption and criminal negligence of the BJP government in Karnataka.
Speaking to the press, Prithvi Reddy said, "Despite having the distinct advantage of reaching a peak positive very late and having 100 days grace time, to prepare itself, Karnataka did not learn Covid management lessons from other countries/states who had already developed medicines, protocols and infrastructure and managed to contain the spread of Covid. We all know how Delhi Model emerged as a shining example of managing Covid and none other that PM Modi himself asked states across India to follow the Delhi Model.
When I reached out to the Health Minister of the state and offered all necessary support to share the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Govt's learning and experience in managing Covid, we were shocked to hear that the Health Minister wasn't interested. What sort of a Health Minister is he who doesn't want to listen to ideas to save the lives of his own people?"
Elaborating further on the management of coronavirus by the BJP-ruled government in Karnataka, AAP Karnataka gave examples:
1. Home isolation: Lives lost and public money looted
- Home isolation option was supposed to be decided by the authorities in case of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients who have sufficient space at home.
- In Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party government has ensured that every patient opting for home isolation is monitored closely on a daily basis by doctors (they receive two calls every day by doctors) and is given a kit consisting of required Medicines, Oximeter, Thermometer, Disposables like masks and gloves. Besides this, oxygen is provided at the doorstep for those requiring oxygen support.
- As a result, Delhi's home isolation protocol is today recognized globally. So far, over 101,000 patients have recovered under Delhi's home isolation system and only 40 deaths have been reported since the onset of Covid19, 200+ days ago.
'In contrast, the Home Isolation protocol in Karnataka is a shame'
- Only patients fearing the cost of hospitalization opt for home isolation risking their own and family members lives.
- There is no support whatsoever provided by the government for home isolation patients – only an initial verification call. Otherwise, patients are left to fend for themselves. This has led to avoidable deaths during home isolation and people reaching hospitals too late for any intervention. This has led to over 30 deaths during home isolation in just the past 2 weeks
- But what is even more shocking is the rampant corruption that BJP govt has indulged in the name of home isolation
- The State Government has paid to a private company, Rs.69/call/per patient who tests positive. This call which is handled by tele-callers and not medical professionals should not have cost more than Rs.10 per call .
- Considering 8 lakh positive patients and at least 5 calls per patient during the quarantine period 14 days, the total amount would come to excess payment of rupees 24 Crores.
- Considering a cost of Rs 4000 for a home isolation kit consisting of essentials like Thermometer, Oximeter, Disposables and medicines and 50% of positive patients opting for home isolation, this amounts to Rs 160 Crores. Though the government has claimed that kits are being given, patients across the state have not received the same.
The entire Covid management of Government of Karnataka has been a disaster, rather than saving lives and reducing the agony of people in the State, the government has used this entire period as a money-making opportunity and it is shocking to learn that thousands of crores of rupees have been looted in the name of Covid 19
2. COVID care: Crores spent on dysfunctional hospitals
Many of the positive patients come from economically weaker sections and live in very small dwellings. The risk in such cases of them becoming superspreaders is very high. To overcome the supers-spreader risk in highly dense and crowded areas, Covid Care Centres were introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party Government in Delhi.
These Covid Care Centers Patients enable patients to receive close monitoring of their medical condition in a clean, hygienic clinical environment along with the food and nutrition they need for recovery. Patients receive 5 meals a day.
These meals include milk, vegetables, eggs, juices, etc. The Delhi Government set up multiple of these facilities which included the world's largest 10,000-bed facility which was managed by 1,000 doctors and met the WHO staffing standard of one doctor to every 100 patients.
- The Government of Karnataka made tall claims of setting up a larger facility consisting of 10,100 beds. However, from Day 1, this project has been most controversial and has been mired with accusations of massive corruption.
- The facility was set up at a huge cost of crores of rupees, equipped with about 5,000 beds and other equipment. However, due to poor medical care, hygiene, insufficient toilets and inedible food, the occupancy rate was less than 15% at any given time.
- Though there continues to be 64,523 active cases as of 20th Oct, the Karnataka Government has shut down this facility at BIEC on 15th of September resulting in huge wastage of public funds to the extent of Rs 100 Crores.
- It is now clear that the Covid care hospital of Karnataka government was just a front to indulge in a Rs 10,000 Crores scam to favour its party people.
"There are several other examples of rampant corruption and criminal negligence of the BJP-ruled Yediyurappa government in managing Corona that the Aam Aadmi Party will reveal in the coming days. We will not stay silent."
The Aam Aadmi Party demanded the immediate resignation of the Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa who according to them seems more interested in saving his position as Chief Minister, than the lives of the people of Karnataka.
