Bista for full-time state health minister

SNS, 14 June 2020, Darjeeling:  Member of Parliament Raju Bista today suggested that chief minister Mamata Banerjee should step down as the health minister and demanded that a full-time health minister be appointed to better handle the Covid 19 situation.

"The chief minister has also been holding the post of the state health minister, so she must be facing a time crisis. These are tough times and the state is in need of a full-time health minister so I would suggest the chief minister should resign from the health ministry as the appointment of a full-time health minister might prove to be of some help to deal with the situation at present," Mr Bista told reporters at the BJP party office here today.

Mr Bista also alleged that the collection of samples for Covid tests is only a " show."

"They are collecting the samples, but not giving reports till 14 or 15 days. Today, I visited a quarantine centre in Kurseong where one person told me that he had completed his 14 days in quarantine, but he had not received his report yet. What happens next is that he will go home and be a potential threat to others. The reports must be given within 24 hours of their tests," he said.

"In north Bengal, two hospitals are treating Covid patients. but the other patients are not being given an ybeds. So, some arrangement must be made for patients of other illnesses too. The quality of quarantine centres must also be improved.  There should be proper arrangement for their food. restrooms their hygjene and sanitation," he added.

According to him, the Centre has been trying to help people in every way possible.

"Coronavirus cases have been on the rise for the obliviousness of the citizens from all the lies of the state government. In India today, we have 3 lakh corona cases, the recovery rate is of 50 percent and the death rate is 2.8 percent. In West Bengal. there are 10000 victims, the recovery rate, which is relatively lower compared to the national recovery rate, is 41 percent. The death rate here is 4.5 percent. almost double the national death rate. Until now the official death figure does not even take into account the ones that are burnt at night." Mr Bista said.

Mr Bista further appealed to the state government to increase the number of tests in West Bengal. "In the Siliguri region, there are only two hospitals dedicated to COVID19. which are full now and they have a shortage of doctors and nurses. Hence, we need more number of Covid-care hospitals and there is an immediate need for increasing the number of doctors and nurses," he said.

He added. "When the C,entre's team arrives after Amphan. the CM welcomes the team with a red carpet because they are going to get money. but when the same Centress inter-ministerial team comes to help the state government they are not allowed to leave their guest house until 15 days. This is unfair. Our initial condition was much better. Had we worked well.we would not be in a plight that we are in at present. The Centre's team had come, but was not allowed to work."

State vice-president of the BJP Raju Banerjee, alleged that leaders in the West Bengal government are known for their lies. "They should be awarded PhD degrees for their lies. The central government had sent their team to provide some assistance, but no matter what number of people succumb to death, they would not take the Centre's assistance, Is this a time for playing political games?" he said.