The Odisha Congress has lashed out at the Naveen Patnaik Government for reported mass shifting of 100 doctors from tribal and backward districts to Ganjam – Odisha’s epicenter of COVID-19 pandemic.
As Ganjam district accounts for more than 30% of State’s total COVID-19 cases and 60% of total deaths, the government had deputed additional 100 doctors in the district on July 14. These doctors were working in Koraput, Malkangiri, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nawarangpur and Kandhamal districts.
On July 15, more doctors from Malkangiri were asked to report Ganjam administration in view of worsening COVID-19 crisis. The mass shifting of doctors from these districts for COVID-19 duty in Ganjam has irked the Congress.
“About one crore people in backward districts will be deprived of health service as doctors have been shifted en masse to Ganjam and people in six districts have been left to die. Who will be responsible for this situation?,” said Congress working president Pradip Majhi.
“We know situation in Ganjam is precarious. The current situation could have been easily managed, had the government chosen to deploy two to three doctors each from all districts and sent them to Ganjam. A major health crisis could have been avoided,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that apart from doctors, laboratory technicians and paramedical staffs from six other districts were asked to report to Ganjam administration. Mr. Majhi charged that the State government was focusing on Ganjam because it is home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
According to him, total sanctioned posts for doctors in the six districts were 1694 whereas 824 posts were lying vacant. With advancement of monsoon season, southern Odisha districts were likely to witness spurt in seasonal diseases such as malaria and diarrhea, he said, adding that people would turn to quacks in absence of doctors.
“What mistakes we have committed? Is Mr. Patnaik not our Chief Minister? Are our lives so cheap? Why CM is so concerned about his home district and why he does not show the same concerns for tribal-dominated districts? This is pure discrimination. Why he is backing regional disparity,” Mr. Majhi asked.
The Congress working president warned that if doctors were not reverted to their place of posting by July 31, people would resort to massive agitations in six districts.
Odisha’s COVID-19 positive cases increased to 16701 following addition of 591 new cases on Saturday. The number of active cases is 5259 in the State as 11330 patients have been cured of the disease. Of the 16701 cases, 5280 were detected in Ganjam only. Of the 86 deaths, 52 deaths took place in Ganjam.
