Mysore/Mysuru: Accusing the Central and State Governments of failing to tackle COVID-19, former Congress MLA Vasu alleged that the State Government has failed to provide quality PPE kits to doctors who are engaged in the battle against the deadly virus.

Addressing a press meet at Pathrakartara Bhavan here yesterday, Vasu contended that he had not seen such an irresponsible Government in the State. 

Accusing the State Government of giving false information on the distribution of PPE kits to Corona Warriors, he claimed that many patients were dying for want of ventilators.

Stating that non-COVID patients too were dying for want of timely and quality medical treatment, the former MLA maintained that lack of co-ordination between Medical Education and Health Ministers was hurting  COVID Care in the State. 

Noting that the Health Minister had announced that the Government has purchased 1,000 ventilators, he wondered where all they have gone. 

Asserting that successive Governments had failed in taking K.R. Hospital and other such  major hospitals built by the erstwhile Mysore Maharajas to higher levels of Health Care, Vasu alleged that the current BJP Government has miserably failed in handling Corona pandemic.

Alleging that K.R. Hospital was lacking in Oxygen supplies and the Maternity Hospital in Jayalakshmipuram was lacking in infrastructure, Vasu also took on the Govt. on the Insurance cover provided for Corona Warriors. Stating that a D-Group employee who died of the contagion was yet to get Insurance, Vasu expressed doubts whether the Govt. had paid the Insurance premium in the first instance.

“The BJP Government will certainly face the wrath of the people for its carelessness in handling COVID contagion. BJP leaders are playing politics over the death of COVID patients. There are many flaws in the Health Care system which the Government has not bothered to address. The hands of the Health Officers are tied as they are handicapped with paucity of medicines and equipment. The Government must cut down expenditure on other fronts and give utmost prominence to the Health Sector,” he said and urged the Government to act immediately for bringing down COVID-19 mortality rate.

Continuing, Vasu said that KR MLA S.A. Ramdas would have handled the pandemic more efficiently had he been the Mysuru District in-Charge Minister.

Pointing out that Ramdas had the experience of being a Medical Education Minister in the past, Vasu opined that Ramdas, who is a local leader, would have been a better choice for tackling COVID-19 crisis in the district.