The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday shifted chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Dr Sudhir Dehariya, preceded by the transfer of two IAS officers to the health department, as Bhopal has become another Covid-19 hot spot in a span of five days.
An IAS officer of the 1989 batch and additional chief secretary (ACS) Mohd Suleiman will now head the department of health, while 2006-batch IAS officer Sudam Khade has been brought in as director of the department.
Earlier, a principal secretary who was heading the department and a director in the department both tested positive for Covid-19, along with more than 40 other officials and employees in the department’s directorate over the past five days.
The directorate is considered the disease hot spot in Bhopal now.
Besides this rejig, the state government also invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) on Wednesday to prohibit government employees from refusing to work.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday, “There will be complete lockdown in 14 districts. It’s the responsibility of the district administration to ensure the supply of essential commodities. The police will lodge an FIR on those who conceal their illness.”
As per the health department’s bulletin on Wednesday evening the number of Covid-19 positive cases went up to 341, with 51 new cases reported in the past 24 hours. Indore tops the list of 13 districts having Covid-19 positive cases with 173 cases followed by Bhopal with 94 cases. Twenty-four have died in the state of the deadly virus so far.
{{/usCountry}}As per the health department’s bulletin on Wednesday evening the number of Covid-19 positive cases went up to 341, with 51 new cases reported in the past 24 hours. Indore tops the list of 13 districts having Covid-19 positive cases with 173 cases followed by Bhopal with 94 cases. Twenty-four have died in the state of the deadly virus so far.
{{/usCountry}}Madhya Pradesh health services commissioner Faiz Ahmad Kidwai on Wednesday said, “As many as 4,056 samples have been tested so far, out of which 3,442 samples have shown negative results. Our testing capacity has increased. Now we are testing as many as 700 samples every day.”
A poster boy of health department till Tuesday and appreciated by his commitment by none else than chief minister of the state besides hundreds others on social media chief medical and health officer (CMHO) at Bhopal Dr Sudhir Dehariya was shifted from Bhopal to neighbouring district Sehore on Wednesday, as per an administrative order.
Shifted from Bhopal and brought back on the same post within a day earlier on March 26 Dr Dehariya became a poster boy for thousands of doctors across the country amid their fight against coronavirus, after a photo went viral on social media.
Dr Dehariya who is an orthopedic surgeon reached his residence on March 30 for a few minutes to see his family after a gap of five days. However, to avoid any possibility of his family being affected by coronavirus he maintained a distance from the family members, sat outside the gate and have a cup of tea before returning to his office again.
Dr Dehariya’s neighbour snapped a photo and he posted it on social media which went viral to draw a lot of appreciation for the doctor’s commitment and dedication.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Kamal Nath and Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha have criticised the government over invoking of ESMA and demanded that the government should withdraw it in the interest of the state.