Odisha: Cops flooded with requests for medical assistance
BHUBANESWAR: The lockdown extension has come as a blow to many who are unwell and need regular medical assistance. With moving out of home restricted, many have sent requests and complaints to the commissionerate police seeking permission to move out of home to either buy life-saving drugs or get medical attention.
While a majority of people have requested the commissionerate police to assist them in getting the medicines for disease like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac and respiratory illness, some others have sought permission to take the patients to the hospitals for treatment.
“@cpbbsrctc Sir, I am a very sick senior citizen with cardiac problem. Unable to walk even 200 metres. I am now running short of my essential medicines. Online service is closed now. I will have to buy today evening from Om Pharmacy or MedPlus driving my car. Can you plz allow me?” tweeted Haramohan Moharana, a senior citizen.
Satyabrata Samantray, who said he has to buy medicines for his father, tweeted, “@SarangiSudhansu sir I need 2 urgent medicines from Sparsh Hospitals BBSR for my Father. Need to move out from Home to BBSR which is around 32km. What will be the procedure to go outside with 4 wheeler @cpbbsrctc.”
Messages like these are flooding the commissionerate police and while it has advised many to dial 100 and obtain passes for emergency services, people complained that the number got disconnected without the call getting completed.
“My wife is expecting and I need to admit her to a hospital. But I am unable to meet her,” rued Bomikhal resident Santosh Puhan. His wife is with her parents in Pipili. “I got a call from my in-laws that my wife needs to be admitted to the hospital. I dialled 100 thrice to get a pass but the number got disconnected each time. I took out my bike and tried to go to Pipili on Tuesday but couldn’t, as I was stopped at the checkpost,” Puhan said.
Commissioner of police Sudhanshu Sarangi said there is clear instruction that anyone with healthcare needs will not be stopped by the police. “We have been asking the people to carry the prescription and they will not be stopped. People can freely go and buy medicines. There is no need to create panic,” Sarangi said.
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