Plaints of unhygienic quarantine wards an exception: Health min

Union health and family welfare minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that reports about “unhygienic” quarantine centres for those suspected

Union health and family welfare minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that reports about “unhygienic” quarantine centres for those suspected to be infected with the Covid-19 virus were “an exception” and “not the rule.”

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The health minister was addressing the house during question hour. Ashok Bajpai of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) moved a motion to appreciate the efforts of doctors and paramedics for their effort to contain the Coronavirus. The house unanimously commended the efforts.

During the discussion, deputy leader of the Opposition and senior Congress politician Anand Sharma, while congratulating health care professionals, raised the issue of unhealthy and unhygienic conditions in certain quarantine centres. Sharma also suggested that the government set up a committee to monitor the situation in the quarantine facilities. The senior Congress leader also said that given the population density in India, the challenges faced by the country to contain the spread of the virus was huge.

It is “possible that some facilities” may have had issues with hygiene but such complaints are not “frequent,” Dr Harsh Vardhan told the house in his reply. The health minister told the house that while there may be reports of unsatisfactory conditions in the quarantine centres, the Centre had also received messages of appreciation from those under quarantine. Replying to Sharma, the health minister said that several quarantine facilities were otherwise not in use and have been “created in an emergency.” “It is possible, that some facilities,” may not be up to the mark.

Commending doctors, paramedics, airline crew members who have airlifted Indians stranded abroad, the health minister said that doctors, whether in the cities, primary health care centres or government hospitals, and airline crew “must be commended” for the service they were rendering. “They have our appreciation,” he said.

He also asked the members of the house to check the facilities in their areas and help the government improve the conditions, if required.

The health minister also told the house that the permission to use antiretroviral drugs to tackle the virus had been given in some cases by scientists. Antiretroviral drugs are used to combat HIV.