Priyanka, Akhilesh share viral video: Firozabad DM dispels misinformation on healthcare
The viral video purportedly showed oxygen being administered to a sick person lying on the roadside in U.P.’s Firozabad district
A viral video circulating on social media purportedly showing oxygen being administered to a sick person lying on the roadside in U.P.’s Firozabad district on Thursday prompted Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav to share it on X to question the alleged pathetic state of healthcare in Uttar Pradesh.
However, later in the day Firozabad DM Ramesh Ranjan termed the video misleading and denied any lapse in health services. The DM termed the video an attempt to mislead the masses and warned legal action against those preparing and broadcasting such misleading video.
“The man, probably a TB patient, seen in the video was returning after being discharged from Agra. The family accompanying the man got an oxygen cylinder from a private outlet to help the man. Somebody prepared a video and presented it in wrong way on the social media,” the Firozabad DM posted on X.
“The family stopped near Gandhi Park in Firozabad but moved to their house after purchasing the oxygen cylinder. After video went viral, the patient and his family were identified and the man is under treatment and doctor’s supervision now,” he added.
“The site shown in video is not in front of any govt hospital but is being wrongly posted and misused. We request not to prepare and circulate such misleading videos which may invite legal action,” Ranjan said.
Earlier, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi took to social media and posted a video on X alleging that this video, showing a helpless woman sitting alongside a patient on the road, reflected pathetic state of public health system.
“Masses already reeling under high inflation are forced to bear the high cost of treatment on their own. According to survey, more than 6 crore citizens in the nation plunge into poverty every year because of high cost of medical treatment,” she alleged.
“The present budget allocation for health is 73% short of the funds required to accomplish target set under the National Health Policy. The public demands—Save Lives, BJP’s priority—Save Chair,” the Congress leader further alleged.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav too took to X saying, “Uttar Pradesh mein swasthya vyavstha footpath par. I do not want to say more because video is self-revealing. BJP should understand that bigger task is to save lives of masses instead of saving their rule.”
The man seen as a patient was identified as Khacher Singh, 38, a resident of Salai, a locality within limits of Ramgarh police station in Firozabad. He had problem in breathing and was being treated in Agra.
After improvement in his health, he was returning to Firozabad and was on way to his house after getting down from the vehicle by which he returned to Firozabad. He was lying alongside an empty oxygen cylinder while his brother went to have new cylinder when the video was made, claimed district officials in Firozabad.