Patients complain of graft, corruption in Chennai Covid facilities

Chennai, April 16 (IANS) Several patients who were admitted to the government Covid healthcare centres here have complained of graft and corruption by the lower level staff.

Ramesh Subramanian, who was admitted to a Covid care centre at Purasawalkam, told IANS: "The healthcare centre was far off from the supermarkets and we need to get small utensils like mugs,buckets and other things.

The lower level officials including compounders and nursing helps have demanded me a certain amount for these mugs and buckets. They charged 10 to 25 rupees extra for each item and we were at their mercy. The government must look into this."

Resident association members are also raising complaints against the manner the patients are being treated at many centres. There are complaints that even sanitation workers are charging money from residences for cleaning the premises.

Sujith Chandran, an engineer and president of Sowbhagya Lakshmi Apartments , Anna Nagar (East) while speaking to IANS said, "The lower level employees including sanitization workers are demanding money and this is too much. At a time when people should stand united another group is fleecing money from the public."

Hasseb Mohammed, who was admitted at a Covid care centre at Velachery, said : "They were demanding money for even trivial things and I don't know why the government authorities are not taking any action against these people who are squeezing people who are in an emotional wreck owing to the disease and isolation."

With the government bringing up measures to fight the pandemic and its second wave, the fleecing of money by these officials is a matter of concern.

Somarajan Natarajan, an activist while speaking to IANS said, "I am into social work for several years. While the higher authorities are into fighting the pandemic with all their efforts, at the lower level officials are trying to make a few quick bucks even at the expense of a pandemic, This is worrisome and has to be contained."