MULTIPLE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES IN KARNATAKA BECAUSE OF LOCKDOWN.

See thread below for excerpts from press release (Thanks to @peopleofindiaka).

Friends in media, why are you not reporting these difficulties? Why give air-time to hate-mongering politicians?

#RejectCommunalVirus

Patients requiring Dialysis, Chemotherapy, blood transfusions have been unable to go because of absence of public transport and also due to police restrictions on travel, with even those seeking treatment requiring to get passes by visiting police stations

Cancer patients requiring chemotherapy and other long-term care-- many of them have shockingly been asked to vacate the Kidwai Memorial Hospital...how can COVID patients be treated in Kidwai hospital when the facilities are also needed for cancer patients needing chemotherapy?

Thalassemia and other patients requiring blood transfusion are affected because blood banks are not receiving sufficient donations with the lockdown. While blood banks usually stock 3000-4000 units per month, many hardly have 100 units now

The government has announced that HIV patients can collect their ART drugs for 3 months from health facilities. But travel to these facilities requires a police permit, for which the immunocompromised person would need to stand in a crowded queue.

Women are facing difficulties traveling and getting to hospitals in time. Further anguish is caused by many private clinics and even govt hospitals refusing to attend to women even in advanced stages of labour.

In Karnataka, we already have documented cases of a 20-year old woman being refused medical procedure in Rajanakunte despite her critical condition; 33-year old woman in advanced labour being refused medical aid in Dandeli and having to travel till Hubballi to deliver her child

decision to convert large tertiary public hospitals to Covid-19 centres poorly planned. For patients from across the state, these are the only tertiary care centres and now have no other option but to avoid healthcare or approaching the expensive private tertiary facilities.

TB, HIV, Non communicable diseases require correct dosages to be taken at prescribed frequency. With instability due to lockdown & irregular drug supplies, chances of antibiotic resistance & spread of antibiotic resistant strains likely. This is a serious public health hazard

food now being consumed by the majority is a meagre subsistence diet, if at all. All these will have an adverse risk on the health of people, and may infact put them at higher risk of contracting the virus. Thus the lockdown itself places people at higher risk from coronavirus

Patients and attenders are struggling for passes. This is of concern in an emergency, especially following the circular issued by the Police Commissioner that a pass can only be obtained for a period of 12 hours

Healthcare personnel including hospital workers are not being provided personal protective equipment, nor proper public transport. This puts them at risk of contracting the infection.

Muslim volunteers who were supplying food in government hospitals have been prevented from doing so by the police, depriving patients and their attendees from food.

Press release in Kannada