THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an open letter to the chief minister, UDF convener Benny Behanan has called for a larger expert platform comprising government, Opposition, doctors’ organisations, public health experts at the national and international level and economists should be formed to combat the next stage of Covid-19 pandemic. Along with this a public health commission should be formed so that this working group would be able to expedite the smooth functioning of the expert committee.
Benny Behanan wrote the open letter citing that the LDF Government has been a dismal failure in combating the pandemic ever since its outbreak six months ago. He lamented that the state government had come out with propaganda during early May that it had curtailed Covid-19. But by July 28, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases shot up to 20, 894. The UDF convener alleged that only 750 tests are being held in each district making it a total of 10, 481 tests state-wide. He warned the LDF dispensation that the government machinery alone is inadequate to combat Covid-19.
“If the outcome of the sentinel tests done during April - June was made available instead of covering it up, it would have helped combat the pandemic from spreading. Accordingly, the stakeholders could have acted accordingly to contain the Coronavirus,” said Benny Behanan.He also urged that more transparency is required which would help people concerned to study the pandemic spread.The government should also reveal the outcome of Covid-19 tests, which should be made available to the public.