MLAs feel the heat over hospital bed, oxygen crunch
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 11 2021:
With sharp spike in Covid-19 positive cases in the state during the second wave of the pandemic, MLAs, both in the ruling and the opposition, have started facing pressure from the people due to unavailability of hospital beds and lack of oxygen supply for Covid-19 patients.
As the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic is more severe from the first, 80 per cent of the positive patients need to be admitted to hospital and they also require oxygen for treatment.
However, the rapid increase in Covid-19 positive cases in the state has led to shortage of hospital beds and oxygen for patients.
The MLAs have been facing a lot of pressure from the people of their respective constituencies lobbying for hospital beds and oxygen supply.
According to sources, government directed asymptomatic Covid-19 patients to stay in home isolation.
However, as some patients under home isolation faced sudden decline of oxygen saturation and became critical, MLAs are experiencing a lot of pressure and complaints from the people of his/her constituency who are demanding hospital beds and adequate supply of oxygen.
Moreover, the pressure exerted by the people is even more on the MLAs of the ruling party.
There has been increasing resentment against the ruling MLAs over their inability to extend help to their people during these troubled times.
Speaking to The People's Chronicle in this regard, a BJP MLA who wanted to remain anonymous, confided that there has been ever increasing pressure from various sides due to continuous spike in Covid-19 positive cases in most localities.
It is not a tough task to provide essential items and edibles to households in containment zones.
But the pressure exerted by the families of the Covid patients demanding hospital bed and oxygen everyday has led to a helpless situation.
"I know that the people are demanding the said beds and oxygen because of their need and their helpless situation.
But, in the present situation, it is beyond my power to fulfil such demands," the MLA remarked.
Stating that the failure to extend help despite strong urge to help them has led to increasing resentment towards them by troubled families, the MLA noted that people have the notion of why the elected representatives who are also a part of the ruling party could not help them when they need the most.