Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav expressed concern on Tuesday over the health of his imprisoned father Lalu Prasad who is undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, after a patient in the government-run hospital tested positive for COVID-19 .
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“It’s really worrisome to know that the doctors treating my father may have been infected with COVID-19. I join 12 crore Biharis in expressing concern. At 72, with multiple life-threatening chronic diseases, he is most vulnerable to coronavirus and hence should be taken care of with utmost precaution,” tweeted Tejashwi Yadav. Doctor Umesh Prasad, who is treating Mr. Prasad, is also believed to have been quarantined.
A patient admitted in the medicine department of the hospital tested COVID-19 positive on Monday. However, Mr. Prasad is in a separate pay ward of the hospital.
“The patient was under the unit of Dr. Umesh Prasad under whose unit RJD chief Lalu Prasad is also undergoing treatment,” the hospital authorities told a news agency in Ranchi. “Since the patient was in the medicine department for three weeks, samples collected from all doctors and staff have been sent for COVID-19 test and Dr. Umesh Prasad, along with his unit members, has been placed in quarantine.” However, doctors at the hospital told journalists in Ranchi on Tuesday that there was no need to send Mr. Prasad into quarantine and he was doing well.
Mr. Prasad was admitted to RIMS in 2018 for medical assistance after he was convicted in a number of fodder scam cases and imprisoned for several years. He is suffering from multiple diseases, including kidney ailment.
RJD leaders have demanded that the Jharkhand government release Mr. Prasad on parole in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a deliberate attempt to put our leader Lalu Prasad ji’s life in jeopardy. Knowing his pre-existing life threatening health conditions, the least the Jharkhand government could have done was grant him parole. We don’t understand what’s stopping the authorities...,” said RJD leaders in Patna.
