In its new decision, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has banned all the Covid positive patients in the state from the use of their mobile phones inside the isolation wards of Covid-19 hospitals.
No more phones in Covid wards
According to the sources, the patients admitted in dedicated L-2 and L-3 Covid hospitals will no longer be allowed to carry their mobile phones with them in the isolation wards. The new decision is considered as a step to control the spread of the infection.
Samajwadi Party against the decision Meanwhile, the opposition party has raised serious concern over the government's strange decision. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday, May 24 said the ban was put in place to hide the "poor condition" of hospitals in the state.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister took to his Twitter handle and said, "If the infection spreads through mobile phones, then they should be banned across the country. Mobile phones provide mental support and help cope with loneliness."
"In fact, the ban has been put in place, so that the truth about the poor condition of hospitals does reach the common public. The need is to sanitise mobile phones and not impose a ban on them," he added.
Director General Medical Education KK Gupta has directed all the medical universities, institutes, private and government hospitals to ban the use of the phones.
Two mobile phones to be made available
In its order issued by Saturday night, the state government mentioned that two mobile phones will now be made available with the ward in-charge of the Covid care centres in the state so that the patients can talk to their family members as well as with the administration if required.
In addition to this, the order also specified that the mobile numbers should be communicated to the family members of the patients.
"To facilitate the communication between Covid-19 patients admitted in clinics, with their family members, or anyone else, ensure that two dedicated mobile phones while adhering to infection prevention norms are kept with ward in-charge of Covid care centre," it said.
