Madhya Pradesh is facing a crisis situation with massive surge in number of COVID-19 positive cases in capital Bhopal and commercial capital Indore. The number of positive cases stood at 341 on Wednesday with 24 deaths. Indore has 173 cases with 16 deaths and Bhopal 94 cases with one death, as of now. The most worrying part, however, is that the teams of two key departments involved in containing the situation have been afflicted with the virus. Health department personnel, including two IAS officers, and several police personnel, including a city superintendent of police, have tested positive. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who assumed office on March 23, is waging almost a single-handed battle against the pandemic in absence of a council of ministers, which is yet to be constituted. He spoke exclusively and at length to THE WEEK about the crisis and the steps being taken to bring it under control.
Q. With at least 40 personnel of health department and 10 cops, including senior officers testing positive for COVID-19, is any special preventive plan being made to safeguard personnel in these key departments?
All these government personnel are warriors of the society, who are selflessly contributing in these tough times to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While preforming their duties, they somehow came in contact with this virus and unfortunately got affected. We salute their devotion, dedication and their nobility. We shall take every possible measure for their better health, and we are giving them the best treatment. Due care is being taken to safeguard their lives. We have also taken important decisions for providing a security cover for these corona warriors in form of insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh each for all the health, revenue, police, urban development department and other personnel who are fighting for society against this COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1.20 lakh health personnel alone will be benefited by this. Their lives and each citizen’s life is precious for us.
It is also a fact that this war may continue for some time, we have already prepared a second line of all the important officials, so that if one officer unfortunately is unavailable, then, in such conditions, there should be a second line of substitute officials to look after the required duties and to safeguard the lives of the people.
Q. There are reports of shortage of crucial preventive gear like PPE kits, special masks, even for the doctors, let alone cops and other personnel on emergency duty. Are arrangements being made in this regard?
Such conditions existed before I took charge. I have taken enough measures to ensure sufficient availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and other important material, including testing kits, special masks, gadgets, gear and medicines. I will leave no stone unturned when it comes to fighting this pandemic. We are also concerned about the health conditions and safety of health professionals. We have 20,000 RTPCR kits till date in the state. Our testing capacity is 580 tests per day in seven labs. I have instructed that this capacity be increased to 14 labs for 1,000 tests per day. At present, there are 29,795 PPE kits in the state and we are in a position to distribute 5,000 PPE kits daily. These kits are being delivered to the divisional headquarters. We have created different wings at divisional level for patients other than COVID-19 ones, and we also have a dedicated hospital in Bhopal for COVID-19.
As I mentioned earlier we have a second line of the replacement officers ready and also a third line team is being readied for the same.
Q. You have said testing facility will soon be increased to 1,000 per day. How soon is the increase possible and will it still be adequate for the huge population of the state?
Yes, and we have increased them and still working on it to gradually maximise the number. We are doing our best in this regard. As far second part of your question is concerned, the first thing to be kept in mind during this lockdown period, and the sole purpose behind this, is to keep maximum number of people in their homes so that they stay away from the corona infection cycle. We certainly need to break the chain. The more we can control such situation, the more we will be safe and close to a win against COVID-19. We are trying to increase the might and strength of medical services of the state and, at present, we have 3,324 oxygen cylinders and an order for 1,000 more cylinders has been given. We have around 25,000 beds for COVID-19 patients in government hospitals, 400 ICU bed and 319 ventilators at medical college hospitals of Rewa and Sagar, and 418 more ICU beds and 132 ventilators in eight private medical colleges of the state and 261 ICU beds, 276 isolation beds and 385 ventilators in the marked private hospitals of the state. Adequate testing facility of COVID-19 virus has been developed in the state. At present, six testing labs are operative in AIIMS Bhopal, GMC Bhopal, NIRTH Jabalpur, DRDE Gwalior, BMHRC Bhopal and at Medical College Indore. Five more labs will start soon.
Q. There are also reports that hospitals, especially private hospitals, are refusing treatment to serious patients of diseases other than COVID-19. Will you look into this and give proper directions?
If any hospital in the state is found doing any malafide practice or unethical act, proper legal action will be taken. This act is unethical and totally against humanity and we will take care of such cases if reported or when we get to know about them. Many private hospitals have come forward to support us in this struggle against corona. They are in our contact and they have proposed us in details how they can help us against COVID-19 and we appreciate their support. Yet, if any hospital is found taking disadvantage in such time or is behaving against medical ethics, they will be penalised and punished.
Q. You seem to be in favour of extending the lockdown period. What duration of lockdown do you think will be adequate and why?
Lockdown period is a question of life, individual safety and security of the common man. For me, first and topmost priority in any situation is the well-being of each and every individual of Madhya Pradesh. My supreme duty right now is to assure the safety of their health and if, in the due course of this 21 day lockdown, we do not manage to get out of the danger zone, this situation of alert will continue if some more time is required to get out of this menace. It is our responsibility to keep some more patience and ensure mutual co-operation to overcome the odds. I am hopeful that we will triumph over this crisis very soon. Economy of the state is also a question of our concern and wellbeing of our farmers is also important. It is a time of harvest for them and I have issued the permission to allow the harvesters from Punjab to enter the state. I want to assure you that if we find that the lockdown can be lifted on the proposed date, we will start buying wheat from the farmers.
I just want to say that whatever decision is right for the wellbeing of the state will be taken. As far as the duration of lockdown is concerned, I want to say that in whatever time the risk factor of this infection starts declining and the number of cases starts to decrease and reach a satisfactory and stable level and situation seems to be controlled, it will be the right time to lift the lockdown.
Q. Do you think, it is now necessary to appoint ministers in key portfolios like home, health, food and civil supplies and urban administration, given the critical times?
It is a fact, that council of ministers work together as a team for the betterment of state and being together helps during the challenging times. At present 7.5 crore people of Madhya Pradesh, all the MLAs and MPs are part of my team. This is a situation like never before. It is a pandemic. As soon as I took charge of the state and the responsibility to fight this crisis, I put my entire team into this. Our priority at this time is to fight the coronavirus. First of all, we have to control this epidemic. At this instance, civic interest, public health and safety are paramount and is our biggest responsibility.
Q. The former principal secretary of health department and another senior officials who tested COVID-19 positive were shifted to a hospital where normal patients are also undergoing treatment. Will this not escalate the danger for others?
As I said, due care is being taken for their treatment. For us, each life is precious and important. We are following all protocols of the health department and guidelines issued by the Government of India. We are taking all the precautionary measures regarding this; they are being isolated from the others. Hope things will get better soon.
Q. Questions are also raised on delay in hospitalisation of senior health officials who tested positive. Shouldn't there have been timely intervention for their isolation as they were attending key meetings where you were also present?
I have asked for a detailed report about this and it will not be appropriate to say anything without knowing the actual facts as to what went wrong. They all are government officials and were performing their duties. Now, after knowing about this, their contact history is being checked; we are trying to know the source of their infection and the series of the people they met in the meantime. On getting the information, based on protocol, further actions will be taken by the district authorities.