TNI Bureau: Hospitals are sealed, Medicine Stores have been shut. Ambulances are not available easily. Lockdown guidelines are being strictly enforced, but healthcare situation is in a complete mess in Ganjam District.

Ganjam continues to report huge number of COVID-19 positive cases and fatalities everyday. Official death toll in the district now stands at 59 out of 97 deaths reported across Odisha. And, nobody has the record of many unaccounted deaths due to COVID-19 or reasons due to other than COVID in the absence of proper test mechanism.

Despite the assurance from the Government that Ganjam will be treated with utmost priority, things have not improved on the ground. COVID-19 cases are rising; there is a spike in death count and regular patients are not getting the treatment they need.

In rural areas, many medicines stores have been shut after their staff tested positive for COVID-19. Whether MKCG or CHCs, treatment is getting difficult every passing day for the patients. A lot of complaints are coming from Ganjam, related to treatment, COVID-19 mismanagement and lack of urgency in testing.

With COVID Warriors getting infected with Coronavirus, situation has threatened to go out of control. Although the Government has taken a series of steps to improve the situation in Ganjam, they don’t seem to be working.

Some out of the box ideas and actions are needed to deal with the crisis in Ganjam. There is a panic among the common people. Many are in the state of shock. Winning their trust back, is very crucial in the fight against Corona. People need assurances, not just on paper, but in the ground too. Actions speak louder than words.