HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday directed officials concerned to submit all the facts relating to Covid-19 tests, medical care for patients and other steps being taken to control the spread of Coronavirus to the High Court in the form of an affidavit.
Rao issued the instructions during a review with officials on the Covid-19 situation and PILs that have been filed in High Court, at Pragathi Bhavan here.
He directed officials to provide accurate information to the HC when it hears numerous PILs filed on the Covid situation.
He wanted them to provide the HC with all the information it seeks while explaining the government’s efforts to curb Covid-19. The stinging remarks made by the HC bench about the performance of the Medical and Health Department in containing Covid-19, came up for discussion.
Many officials expressed their disquiet over the HC finding fault with the department though officials were working round-the-clock with a sense of dedication and commitment, an official press release from the CMO said.
The officials opined that people were approaching the HC and filing petitions too often. They pointed out that 87 PILs had been filed so far in the HC on Covid-related issues.
A key point discussed in the meeting was that senior health officials, who are in the thick of things, have to visit the HC often to attend these Covid-related PILs.
Superintendents of various government hospitals are also being asked to depose in court. As a result, health officials were unable to do justice to patients as their valuable time was being spent in attending court cases, the officials explained.
In fact, the situation in Telangana was better than any other State in the country and the death rate too was lesser, elaborated the officials.
The medical and health officials informed the CM that the they were ready to treat any number of patients and conduct any number of Covid-19 tests.
“But we are pained by the comments of the HC,” the officials told Rao. Reports in a section of the media portraying health officials in poor light was hurting their morale, the officials stated.