Sanjay Jog: Amid spare of deaths in various government hospitals in Maharashtra due to alleged corruption in the procurement of medicines bypassing the tendering, increasing role of middlemen and lack of adequate staff, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray strongly demand an ‘’impartial’’ probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the Eknath Shinde led government. Thackeray’s attack against the MahaYuti government comes when the death of patients in Nanded, Sambhajinagar, and Nagpur have created an uproar and they have exposed major lapses in the state’s health and medical services.
Thackeray expressed anguish over the deaths and targeted the Shinde-led government. ‘’We (Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by him) saved the lives of the people even in the crisis of Corona. However, during this government, health services have been in a total shambles. The corruption has spread in the state. Now the state government itself should be probed impartially by the CBI,’’ he said. He further noted that ‘’The patients are asked to buy medicines from outside. Why are medicines not provided through the Prime Minister’s Scheme, Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana? Who gets the help of the Chief Minister’s Aid Fund? Investigate it. Where does this help go? Are the bills genuine?’’ He added that the procurement of medicines without tendering is an invitation for corruption.
Thackeray claimed that the state government has money to promote itself. There is money to travel to Guwahati and Gujarat. However, there is no money for the medicines of the people who are being treated in government hospitals. This is very disturbing. ‘’The people of the state should remove this corrupt government,’’ he observed.
‘’There is no epidemic but there is an epidemic of corruption in Maharashtra. The rate card is being decided in the health department. The tender process is closed. If the medicine is procured without a tender process, how can they (MahaYuti) speak of corruption? You open the door to corruption. Today, where there is no purchase of medicines, they have not been delivered. Is there a broker there? It should be investigated by the CBI,’’ said Thackeray.
‘’Doctors cannot be blamed for all deaths in government hospitals. If there is a shortage of medicines in the hospital, it is not the doctor’s fault. Who will take responsibility if medicines are purchased without tender? It is ironic that the state government does not have money to purchase medicines. Despite so many deaths, the state health minister is nowhere to be seen. They are seen only on posters. CM and DCMs should have visited these hospitals where deaths were reported,’’ said Thackeray.
‘’Even during our (MVA) government, there were some vacancies. However, the government did not let the patients die. Consecutive holidays are the reason behind those who died in the last four or five days. It should be probed whether duties of doctors in these hospitals were properly assigned,’’ said Thackeray.
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