Srinagar
Kashmir Economic Alliance(KEA) has expressed dismay over the facilities at various quarantine centres across Kashmir.
In a statement issued here, Vice Chairman Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo said they feel disappointed with the administration regarding the quarantine facilities created to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through asymptomatic persons.
“Such facilities need to have basic standards of hygiene and comfort to ensure a long and comfortable stay in isolation. Restriction of movement and nervousness in the likelihood of a positive result can lead to psychological trauma. To put such persons in a miserable environment is not only inhuman but hazardous to the quarantined persons,” he said.
He said, they have been in touch with the many asymptomatic persons throughout Valley and have learnt that people are bundled in big, unhealthy numbers in a single room with a single dirty and unhygienic bathroom.
Expressing anguish, Trumboo said, “It could have disastrous fallout as such measures defeat the very purpose of quarantine. One of the reasons that many travellers have tried concealing true identities, and furnished wrong information is this. Authorities need to check the facilities at quarantine centres and keep these under expert watch and control. Though it is said that a few hotels have been kept for isolated confinement, yet the usage is hardly known or publicised.”
“COVID-19 needs strong, efficient and durable public health care. Even basic requirements of hygiene and effective medical care/ supervision seem to be missing at the designated COVID-19 centres. One such example is the CD hospital where two patients with Positive COVID tests ran away from the facility as they were frightened by the presence of stray dogs in the corridors,” he said.
Trumboo said, “Who is in charge of the preventive maintenance and upkeep of the CD hospital and who has been pulled up on the reason of escape of patients is not known.”
“Also, there is a dire need to conduct a thorough inspection of the designated COVID hospitals as this pandemic calls for the highest standards of efficiency and government cannot sit against the public on any account. The very important government should utilise expertise of qualified health professionals and medics in order to stem the rapidly spreading virus,” he said in a statement.
“Moreover, the Police brutality coming to the forefront is another example of insensitivity and mismanagement. Police do not honour IDs of officials from essential services and insist on curfew passes from District Administration. This is detrimental to maintaining essential and emergency services. One doesn’t understand who is in charge of law, order and public services. There is utter confusion. Passing messages on social media with nothing on ground is not what people want,” he said.
