A group of COVID-19 patients from the Varadimoola tribal hamlet in Mananthavady municipality has alleged that they were denied basic facilities at a domiciliary care centre (DCC) under the civic body on Thursday night.
The Health Department had organised an antigen test camp in the hamlet and as many as 17 of the 136 members had tested positive. They were directed to be shifted to a nearby DCC.
“Though I had requested the municipal chairperson to provide basic facilities to the patients at a DCC near the hamlet, the authorities failed to provide them as beds at the DCC were almost filled with patients,” said councillor Thankamani. The tribespeople were directed to take a mat and pillow along with them as per the direction of the municipal chairperson and they slept on it on Thursday night, she added.
When the patients brought the issue to the attention of the media on Friday, the municipal authorities tried to shift them to a newly opened DCC at the Government Higher Secondary School, Mananthavady. But, the patients protest against the move and the authorities assured them that basic amenities would be set up at the centre itself.
Municipal chairperson C.K. Ratnavally, however, told The Hindu that the issue was raked up by Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillors. The councillor admitted the patients to the DCC without informing her, she said. If she was informed, the authorities could have accommodated the patients at the new DCC where nearly 100 beds were vacant, said Ms. Ratnavally.
