No end to problems of Covid-19 patients under home quarantine

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 19

Though the government authorities claim to have made sufficient arrangements, a number of home quarantined Covid patients have complained about various problems they are facing.

Kin of an infected patient from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar said they were not getting essential commodities and no garbage was being lifted from their house.

The MC should launch zone-wise helpline numbers to ensure timely lifting of garbage from residences of all infected patients. To ensure supply of essential commodities on doorstep of infected patients the administration should form teams comprising inspectors of the Department of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, SHOs of police stations concerned and civic body officials. A helpline number to contact this team should be launched. — Sanjay Talwar, MLA, Ludhiana (East)

Tina Nalwa of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar on Pakhowal Road said her husband tested positive for Covid-19 around 10 days ago. Since the Health Department had installed a home quarantine board outside their house, they could not go out of premises, she added. There were no arrangements of getting vegetables and fruits, she said.

“No vegetable/fruits vendor or milkman comes here. We don’t know who should be contacted for essential commodities. Besides, garbage is not being lifted from our house for the past 10 days. Pile of waste has collected at our house,” she added.

“Nobody has come to spray disinfectant at our home. No official from any department concerned or councillor has contacted us to offer any kind of help during the past 10 days. I also tried to use the mobile app to contact the authorities concerned, but it is not functioning. Are officials only responsible for conducting tests?,” she said

A social activist Komal Gurnoor Singh said, “A 24x7 quick response committee should be formed at the district level for early redressal of problems faced by Covid patients. Whenever any infected person is home quarantined, helpline number of the quick response team should be mentioned on the board displayed at patient’s house.”

“The quick response team must contact every infected patient or caretaker on regular basis. On demand, it should ensure supply of required ration, fruits, vegetables and other essential services on doorstep of the home quarantined patient. The patient or his/her caretaker can also contact the team if he/she faces any kind of problem,” he added.

“In case, the home quarantined patient faces any complication, the quick response team should have powers to immediately arrange an ambulance and a bed in hospital so that he/she can get required treatment on time,” he said.

The Ludhiana (East) MLA, Sanjay Talwar, who and his family members tested positive for Covid-19 said, “The MC should launch zone-wise helpline numbers to ensure timely lifting of garbage from residence all infected patients.”

“To ensure supply of essential commodities on doorstep of infected patients the administration should form teams comprising inspectors of the Department of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, SHOs of police stations concerned and MC officials. A helpline number to contact this team should be launched. If any infected patient needs any essential service, this team should be contacted,” the MLA added.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Varinder Sharma said, “There is no protocol of supplying vegetables or ration on doorstep of home quarantined patient by the administration. Relative of any infected patient generally supplies vegetables or essential commodities on his/her doorstep.”

“If any patient faces problem, he/she can contact us. We will take required steps to resolve his/her problem. If garbage is not lifted in any particular area, it should be brought to our notice. We will resolve the issue,” the DC added.

A Covid patient said, “Our neighbours are afraid of providing any essential commodity to us due to virus fear. However, I have asked some of my friends to supply us fruits, vegetables and milk. They leave bag of fruits and vegetables at our entrance gate after informing us over phone. But they don't take money from us due to Covid fear. The government should start special helpline for home quarantined patients.”

Contact numbers of Municipal corporation

• Lifting garbage from house of infected patient: Health officer Dr Vipul Malhotra - 94172-73555

For sanitisation (Disinfectant spray)

• MC Zone A – SDO Sandeep Sharma - 9592999599
• MC Zone B - SDO Parshotam - 9780039479
• MC Zone C – SDO Amandeep Singh - 9988830795
• MC Zone D – SDO Anshul Garcha - 9815144612

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