Include Covid-19 In Arogyasri: Sharmila To KCR

Politician Y S Sharmila, who is the daughter of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and sister of incumbent CM Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, today slammed the Telangana government for its "failure" to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state.

Saying that the people of the state had been suffering greatly after the outbreak of the deadly second wave, the leader faulted the TRS regime and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for their "mishandling" of the health emergency.

She also claimed that due to the unsubsidised nature of Covid-19 treatment in the state, many low-income families were being forced to sell off their properties and other assets to pay hospital bills for themselves or for other family members.

Taking to her Twitter, Sharmila alleged that the private hospitals in the state were handing over the dead bodies of deceased Covid-19 patients only after the bereaved families finished paying their dues.

Citing these facts, the politician demanded that the state government immediately include the treatment of Covid-19 under the list of diseases covered by the state-run Arogyasri healthcare scheme.

Sharmila is not the first leader who has made this demand. Some days ago, the Telangana unit of the NSUI, which is the student wing of the Congress, and party MLA from Mulugu Seethakka had launched a fast-unto-death program at Hyderabad's Indira Park making the same demand.

Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, who expressed his support for Seethakka's fast, tweeted, "Seethakka garu's fight is for the poor hit by Covid. She went on a hunger deeksha asking "richest state" Telangana to include Covid treatment in Arogyashree. The police shifted to Osmania Hospital, I went to meet her. Her demands are justified. Entire Telangana supports the cause (sic)."