Lucknow, May 24: The Yogi government has finally withdrawn the order banning the use of mobile phones of patients infected with coronavirus in isolation wards of Covid hospitals.
The order, prohibiting the use of mobile phone inside the isolation ward, was attracted flak and was said to be impractical. Opposition parties were also constantly targeting the Yogi government. Now the government has issued a new order regarding the use of mobile phones in isolation ward.
Additional Chief Secretary, Home Awanish Kumar Awasthi said on Sunday that a new order has been issued by the Department of Medical Education regarding the possessing of mobile phones and chargers in the isolation ward of Covid hospitals.
βIn this, the patient will have to give information regarding the mobile phone and charger before going to the isolation ward. Before the patient is admitted, the hospital management will disinfect his mobile phone and charger, so that he is not at risk of spreading corona infection. Also, the concerned patient will not share both these items with any other patient or health worker,β Awasthi apprised.
He said that upon discharge from the isolation ward, the hospital management would then sanitize the mobile phone and charger and give it to the person concerned. After leaving the isolation ward, the patient will re-disclose the mobile phone and charger. Instructions have been given to strictly follow the order.
Additional Chief Secretary Home Awasthi said that the state government is concerned about every patient. Therefore, it has been asked to sanitize the patient with his belongings, so that there is no risk of any kind of infection.
Earlier, the Director General of Medical Education K.K. Gupta had issued orders to the heads of all medical universities, medical institutes and all government and private medical colleges saying that the infection spreads through mobiles.
He issued an order banning the use of mobile phones by patients in isolation wards of L-1, L-1 and L-3 corona hospitals.
Along with this, he instructed that two mobile phones should be made available to the in charge of Covid Hospital, so that patients can talk to their families. Since then, questions started to be raised on this.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said that if the infection spreads through mobile, it should be banned in the entire country along with isolation ward. This is what makes mental support alone.
The SP president said that in reality the truth of the misconduct and plight of the hospitals should not reach the public, hence it is a ban. The need is not to ban mobile but to sanitize.
At the same time, according to sources, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also reprimanded the officer concerned about the quandary created on mobile. The disputed order was immediately withdrawn thereafter.
