Bandipora, June 9: At least four persons being treated at level-II Covid hospital in Bandipora were temporarily shifted to a panchayat isolation centre for a few hours for ‘photo-ops’ in brazen violation of SOPs.
Liyaqat Ali, 27, of Bagh locality of Bandipora admitted at the Covid level-II hospital for the past nine days along with three others including 76-year-old Ghulam Muhammad from remote hamlet of Smathan were told to get ready for some tests.
“We are yet to understand why we were removed from the facility to the panchayat,” Ali said. “Media persons had been called there and medicines were distributed among us.”
Ali and elderly Muhammad were accompanied by Irfan, 26, from Mardar locality and another patient and a retired Army personnel from Sumlar.
“When the officers at the facility finished with the photo ops, the ambulance took us back to the facility at around 4 pm,” the Covid-19 patients said.
Fahmida, the Sarpanch of Nadihal Block-C told Greater Kashmir that she received a phone call for reaching the Panchayat immediately as the CMO and the BMO were on a visit.
“When I entered the panchayat, to my surprise I found four Covid-19 positive patients, who were not locals,” she said.
CMO Bashir Ahmad Khan told Greater Kashmir that the issue would be taken up with the divisional commissioner.
In-charge officer at Covid-II facility at PazalporaBandiporaDrAftab at the said he was not authorised to share any details regarding the matter.