KOCHI: With Covid care centres shut down across Ernakulam, infected patients who opt to stay at such centres are being put up at crowded first-line treatment centres without basic amenities.The Covid care centre at the Mattanchery Town Hall, for example, is being criticised by inmates for lack of regular maintenance. “Starting from the poor quality of food to complete neglect of hygiene, we are facing numerous issues here. The entire building is filled with cobwebs and bathrooms are leaking.
The cleaning workers are not provided with basic tools like mops and brushes. The officials haven’t paid Vijaya Lakshmi caterers for the last two months, and they are now serving inmates bad-quality food. They are planning to end the services by March 18,” said Mariya Rincy, a patient admitted at the centre.
Currently, more than 15 patients are housed at the centre.
They allege that despite several pleas to officials, no one has tried to resolve their issues. “We approached Kochi MLA K J Maxi, district collector’s office and district medical officer’s office urging them to intervene. But nothing has happened,” she said.According to another patient, the area is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. “We live in fear of contracting dengue while we are Covid positive. We have mosquito bite rashes all over our body and a few of us had bite lumps on our skin. It’s not just us. The cleaning workers are also undergoing the same treatment,” he said.
However, the DMO is blaming the Kochi Corporation. “Maintenance of Covid care centres has been
entrusted with the respective local self-government bodies. The health department is only providing medical assistance to the patients,” said N K Kuttappan, Ernakulam DMO.
Meanwhile, Kochi Corporation officials have promised to address the issue without further delay. “Though the issues haven’t come to our attention so far, we will reach out to the centre and resolve them by Wednesday. We will also inquire what led to the situation getting this bad,” said a source close to Kochi Corporation deputy mayor K A Ansiya.