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To tackle third wave, we are doing whatever is possible, says UP minister Sidharth Nath Singh
As Uttar Pradesh (UP) battles the devastating second wave of Covid-19 infection, cabinet minister and state government spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh, speaks to Hindustan Times on a variety of issues, including party lawmakers writing letters on inept handling of crisis, challenge of testing in villages, vaccinating rural population and state’s preparation to handle imminent third wave
As Uttar Pradesh (UP) battles the devastating second wave of Covid-19 infection, cabinet minister and state government spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh, speaks to Hindustan Times on a variety of issues, including party lawmakers writing letters on inept handling of crisis, challenge of testing in villages, vaccinating rural population and state’s preparation to handle imminent third wave.
Excerpts:
There is a feeling that had we been alert, death and scale of disease could have been minimised. Experts had been predicting that the Covid first wave would be followed by a second wave and yet the warning appeared to have been drowned in a false sense of victory over the virus?
The second wave was known but its impact or severity wasn’t. So, drawing from the first wave, we augmented the health infrastructure, scaled it up three times. We thought it would be enough. But as it turned out, the severity was many times more than what we had anticipated. This caused problems but as I said, there weren’t any predictive patterns to the severity of the wave.
So, is the view that UP could have minimised death and spread of disease misplaced?
How do you answer this? I can only say that the government has been doing its best. The chief minister tested positive and continued to work despite being in isolation.
Yet, your own party lawmakers have been posting letters, videos and posts that showcase how they have been helpless against the system. Some didn’t get bed, some flagged faulty Covid testing? They are showing the mirror to their government, isn’t it?
In a democracy, constructive criticism is always welcome. No harm in writing letters or making suggestions. But let us remember that the ruling lawmakers are part of the government. They should contribute to resolving the problem rather than creating one.
There is a view that the panchayat polls contributed in a big way in the spread of infection in villages. The government claims that it was the court’s decision. However, when the court ordered lockdown, the government moved Supreme Court arguing a complete lockdown would affect livelihoods.
It’s a fact that the matter went to the court twice. But I wouldn’t confuse between the two. One, is a constitutional aspect, the other is an administrative matter. Our role was to follow two Constitutional authorities – the court and the election commission. We alone didn’t contest those polls. All the parties did. As far as lockdown matter was concerned, that was the administrative part, and we were clear that we wanted to save both lives and livelihood.
But now, that the virus has arrived in villages and is turning aggressive, don’t you think this is the government’s biggest challenge yet, that of saving villages?
We have 97,000 revenue villages and over 70,000 nigrani samitis and through them we are aggressively testing, tracing and treating patients in rural UP. We have provided the test teams 10 lakh medical kits; 10 lakh antigen test kits and all 822 community health centres are being given 20 oxygen concentrators. To maintain proper oxygen supply chain, 60 tankers have been added to the 30 existing tankers and keeping Covid’s third wave prediction in mind we have also floated a global tender for tankers.
How do you inoculate the villages even as vaccine shortage has hit urban centres?
To maintain steady flow of inoculation we have floated global tender for four crore vials and also placed orders of 1 crore vials with Indian manufacturers.
But why did the government stop private hospitals and centres from vaccinating people? Surely government centres alone won’t be able to inoculate the whole of UP.
We didn’t stop anyone. The government of India has come up with a guideline as it has given nearly 50% quota to the state. The state now has to cater to the people through government centres while private centres would be free to purchase vaccines either through open market or directly through manufacturers.
We are seeing air force planes taking off with oxygen tankers to fast-track oxygen supply to the state. There are trains that are regularly coming to the state with liquid oxygen. But where is this oxygen going as the crisis still continues?
All these oxygen tankers have to be off loaded at the right place. Not in Hazratganj, right? In the last 10 to 15 days things have improved. About two weeks back, the oxygen intake was about 300 metric tonnes. Since then, 900 to 1000 metric tonnes of oxygen have been supplied. There is an oxygen audit happening which is assessing oxygen requirement of hospitals because oxygen requirement continues to vary on a patient. If someone wants audit details, we will share that also, once the exercise is over.
Are we better prepared for the speculative third Covid wave?
Well, between Covid I to Covid II, our health infrastructure, including beds, were scaled up by three times across all three hospitals – from Covid level 1 to level 2 and level 3 facilities. In that period also, we also set up an oxygen manufacturing plant by Inox in western UP. There is no mathematical calculation about the challenge that speculative Covid third wave would bring. We are doing whatever is possible.
The chief minister has appointed a committee of medical experts to advise the government. The CM has spoken of need to scale up paediatric ICUs ahead of the speculative third wave.
Certainly, we are doing everything. From paediatric beds to nursing staff, attendants and ward boys. Even as we speak, 25,000 level 1 beds are being converted into oxygen beds. We are creating stronger cold storage facility.
So, you think your government would be able to save our kids from Covid 3?
Well, if you remember how the situation was with the JE and AES. For nearly 40 years, you well know the number of children who were dying in 38 districts of the state. So, we protected our children, didn’t we? We are adding more oxygen plants. Soon we will reveal our oxygen manufacturing policy.
What is this policy going to be like?
Details would come later but there would be incentives for the investors wanting to help set up oxygen plants in the state. Already 54 investors have announced intent, more are coming.
The chief minister has now tasked the lawmakers with keeping track of Covid positive people in their constituencies
No, the lawmakers won’t track Covid patients. They will stay connected with them as after all the patients are people of their constituencies too.
