Kolkata: The West Bengal governments order banning mobile phones in Covid-19 hospitals has raised the hackles of opposition parties, which called the measure an attempt to hide the mismanagement in the treatment of the dreaded viral disease.
The government order, coming soon after a purported video of a state-run hospital showing a dead body lying in an isolation ward of suspected coronavirus patients became public, has raised suspicion in opposition circles about the motive behind the decision.
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Babul Supriyo, who made the video ‘super-viral’ by tweeting it and following it up with probing posers to the government, claimed the mobile ban order proved that the video was ‘not fake’.
“Honble MamataOfficial banning mobiles in hospitals Kind of proves that the Bangur Hospital video was not fake —Thank you,” he tweeted.
The State Health department came out with the order prohibiting mobile phones in an internal WhatsApp message to district magistrates, district chief medical officers (health) and superintendents of all Covid-19 hospitals.
“Since mobile phones can be a potential source of spreading Covid-19 infection, no one will be allowed to carry, possess or use mobile phones inside the Covid-19 hospitals in the state. This applies to all persons inside the hospital, whether patients or staff on duty. The deposit of patients’ mobile phones may be taken and a receipt may be given to them,” read the message. (IANS)