CCTVs installed in ward after videos of ‘apathy’ surface in Meerut

The move was initiated after a few video and audio clips alleging apathy by health staff went viral on social media in the past couple of days.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed at different places, including the isolation ward, of the Covid hospital of Meerut’s Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical (LLRM) College.

The district has witnessed 14 deaths due to coronavirus and the total cases has risen to 245 out of which 139 cases were registered only in 10 days of May against 106 cases during entire month of April.(Representative image)

The move was initiated after a few video and audio clips alleging apathy by health staff went viral on social media in the past couple of days.

RC Gupta, principal, LLRM Medical College, said the CCTV cameras would help in better monitoring of treatment and other requirements of patients.

“A few officials, including myself, would have access to recordings of these cameras through their mobile phones. It would ensure better monitoring of arrangements,” said Gupta.

A young BJP leader, who died of coronavirus, had also accused the health staff of making inadequate arrangements for treatment in the Covid hospital. Samajwadi Party MLA Rafeeq Ansari had also briefed chief minister Yogi Adityanath about carelessness of health staff in treating Covid-19 patients after death of his uncle on May 9. The CM had assured him of taking care of it.

Earlier, an audio clip of a patient also went viral in which he tried to expose mismanagement and inadequate treatment of Corona patients and lack of facilities, including timely delivery of food in isolation ward.

Another patient Abid also released a video clip from the ward exposing pity condition of arrangements and made an appeal to authorities to improve facilities.

Meanwhile, in view of the increasing cases of corona here, the state government has sent a team of Dr Suryakant and Dr Vivek Kumar to take stock of the situation.

“The team discussed various issues at length for improvement of existing facilities and we were working on their suggestions”, said Dr Gupta.

The district has witnessed 14 deaths due to coronavirus and the total cases has risen to 245 out of which 139 cases were registered only in 10 days of May against 106 cases during entire month of April.

While five persons died of Covid-19 during April, nine patients lost their lives in first 10 days of May, which triggered an alarm for health officials and the district administration.

Meanwhile, the state government also has authorized 10 private hospitals for treatment of Covid-19 patients in order to ease the burden of treatment on government hospitals.

Dr Gupta said, “It is a good decision and let’s see how they come up with their plan for providing treatment.”