Bhubaneswar: Even as the kidney patients continued their protest in Odisha capital for 4th day on Thursday, Health Minister Naba Das said he has given necessary directions to the department to solve their problems.
Speaking to media persons, the Minister said he was aware of the demand of the protesting kidney patients. “They have every right to protest through democratic methods to draw the government’s attention to their problems. They are welcome to meet me and express their problems,” he said.
On the steps taken by the government on the issues raised by the protesters, the Minister said, “I have already given direction to the department in this regard. The department has already held a meeting to find a solution to the issue. I have instructed the department to resolve the matter soon.”
The patients have been sitting on a dharna in front of the Minister’s residence in Bhubaneswar since Monday demanding free medicine prescribed by their consulting doctors for the treatment. The government hospitals are not providing those medicines, they claimed.
After their second round of meeting with Health secretary on Wednesday failed to yield any result, they continued their agitation. Earlier, they had taken up the matter with the Minister but he had reportedly not conceded to their demand and advised them to take the medicines prescribed by the government doctors. “He asked us to continue with the same medicines and inform him in case of any adverse effect,” said a protester to local media.
The protesters alleged that the government doctors were prescribing blacklisted medicines. Already 25 persons have lost their lives and 18 persons complained that their condition was not improving after consuming those medicines. “We asked the Minister to launch a probe into the incident which has been pending since 2021 but he sought seven days to initiate the probe,” they said.
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