| Treat patients or dig graves, MLA tells Health officials | | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, May 12: Aggrieved over the wretched condition of patients suffering from Hepatitis-C, a National Conference Legislator on Thursday grilled Health department officials here during District Development board meeting.
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Pahalgam, Altaf Ahmad Wani (Kaloo) asked the Health Department officials to dig the graves for patients if they don't have the money to treat them during District Development board meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu. "It is unfortunate that these poor patients are still awaiting medical help, if you don't have the money for treatment then dig the graves," he reportedly said in the meeting.
Many legislators seconded furious legislator and demanded immediate attention and assistance to Hepatitis-C suffers.
Pertinent to mention here, despite the passage of over three years, government has failed to ensure treatment of patients suffering from Hepatitis-C in several villages of Kokernag area of the district.
The disease was first detected in TakiaMagam and Sonbarie villages of Kokernag in 2013 and has so far consumed 12 lives in the twin villages while the number of infected patients has reached 1300, according to reports and medicos.
The infection has also spread to Sagaam, Zalangam, Watinar, Khalihar, Kehripora, Kandiwara and Warwan villages, but the affected patients continue to wait for the treatment promised by the government.
In 2014, after media's relentless efforts, the then government said that has started treating some 200 patients from TakiaMagam.
After the outbreak of the disease, Omar Abdullah government had announced and granted Rs.7.50 crore for tackling the disease in the area but no one knows whether the 'extra-ordinary financial support' reached where it was directed to or not. |
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