J'khand: Issue of increasing Covid spread in rural areas surface, report sought

Chief minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday sought report from West Singhbhum deputy commissioner within 24 hours after women and child welfare minister Joba Majhi drew his attention towards fast spreading Covid-19 infection in rural areas of the state.

Elected representatives across political spectrum highlight lack of health care in rural areas, demand government to shift focus

Unlike the first wave of the pandemic, rural areas in the state have also been hit by the ongoing second wave of Covid-19, adding to the woes of people as well as the administration. (File photo)

Chief minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday sought report from West Singhbhum deputy commissioner within 24 hours after women and child welfare minister Joba Majhi drew his attention towards fast spreading Covid-19 infection in rural areas of the state.

“I received phone calls from villages across three to four panchayats that people were dying of Covid-19. A rumour is also spreading that the Covid-19 vaccine is leading to these deaths. This issue needs to be looked into,” said Majhi, who represents Manoharpur assembly in tribal-dominated West Singhbhum district.

This issue of impending threat of the virus hitting rural areas, besides the lack of health care infrastructure and manpower in these pockets, was raised by almost every elected representative from Kolhan and South Chhotanagour, who attended the online session with the chief minister on Tuesday.

Taking serious note, chief minister Hemant Soren immediately directed the West Singhbhum deputy commissioner to form a committee and file a report with the chief secretary within 24 hours. “By Wednesday, provide a detailed report on these issues. West Singhbhum has a difficult terrain geographically. Form a committee and ascertain the cause behind these deaths,” the CM ordered.

Unlike the first wave of the pandemic, rural areas in the state have also been hit by the ongoing second wave of Covid-19, adding to the woes of people as well as the administration.

“Rural areas of the state lack in even basic health care and spread of the virus has put lives of thousands at risk,” the elected representatives unanimously said in the online session. They argued that the state government needs to shift its focus on rural areas and provide adequate facilities to save lives.

Providing empirical evidence of the outbreak in rural areas, Silli legislator Sudesh Mahto said the state government needs to redeploy doctors and paramedics, who have been deployed at urban centres due to the the second wave, back to community and primary health centres .

“In Silli block, a total of 4,362 Covid-19 tests have been done so far, out of which 930 returned positive, which shows the spread of the virus. Only 13 doctors are sanctioned in Silli, but currently only two are serving,” said Mahto, adding that lack of health staff will also affect the vaccination programme.

Both MPs and MLAs across political spectrum voiced similar concerns and demanded that aggressive testing needed to be done in these pockets to isolate those infected.