Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender sought to assure the public of decent treatment at the Government Hospitals. Then he did the unthinkable by flashing the confidential medical records and photographs of coronavirus patients for the news channels during a live press conference on May 1. He offered more information for the press to publish so people will be ‘reassured.’
The Minister claimed the possession of ‘before and after’ pictures of the COVID-19 patients who have made a successful recovery. While the Minister may have sought to reassure the public, the chosen method left the viewers puzzled. If any consent was obtained from the concerned patients, and if it was, then to what extent is unclear.
The Health Minister was providing the latest coronavirus update as the Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard is down for maintenance for yet another day.
Six new cases
Telangana reported six new cases on May 1. Five were reported from GHMC and one from Ranga Reddy.
With 464 patients recovered, 28 deceased, 552 patients out of 1,044 continue to receive treatment.
Minister invokes ICMR guidelines for state government actions
Minister Rajender invoked ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) constantly as he had done in his previous press conference. It was ICMR’s directive that people should not be tested randomly, he said.
The Health Minister went on to say that a coronavirus patient who tested positive but continues to be asymptomatic, must not be admitted at the hospital for treatment.
Such patients should be isolated at the patient’s home and be kept under observation. If the patient lacks resources, then then such a patient would be put in a ‘Government Quarantine’ but not the hospital.
Only severe cases need admittance in the hospitals, he added.
Critical of the BJP
Despite having the supervision of the Delhi police, BJP leaders have failed to act on the Tablighi Jamaat related travel that had caused the virus to spread, criticised the Health Minister.
You may want to read the Andhra Pradesh coronavirus update for May 1