BHUBANESWAR: BJP’s national general secretary and Odisha in-charge Arun Singh on Sunday targeted Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das over the recent incident in which a dead person was administered saline at Jharsuguda DHH.
“The Health Minister should resign on moral grounds as the incident occurred in the DHH that comes under his Assembly constituency,” Singh told reporters after a visit to the hospital.
Singh was in Jharsuguda to observe ‘Seva Saptah’ to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He distributed fruits and medicines to the indoor patients.
“He (Das) has no business to stay on as Health Minister if Government hospitals are so mismanaged. Besides, the district headquarters hospital lacks proper medical facilities,” Singh said.
“Apart from complaining about poor facilities in the hospital, the patients and locals expressed concern over the high level of pollution in the industrial town. It seems the Minister has absolutely no concern for the poor environment,” he remarked.
Responding to Singh’s comments, the Health Minister said an investigation has been ordered into the incident and further action will be taken basing on the findings of the probe.
On the BJP leader’s remarks on pollution, Das said the saffron party is in power in the Centre. He dared Central Government to close down the industries in Jharsuguda if the BJP leader thinks that industries are creating pollution.
Claiming that the people of Jharsuguda are with him, Das said the BJP leader is trying to get cheap mileage out of an issue which is under investigation.
Khetramani Kisan (30) of Jalibahal village under Laikera block was brought to the hospital recently in a serious condition after he consumed pesticides.
The man died in the hospital and his family blamed the hospital staff for not attending him in time. The youth was allegedly administered saline and injection by the nurses on duty even though he was dead.