Bhopal: The administration of one of the worst-affected COVID-19 districts, Indore, is on high alert after reports of a few local residents getting coronavirus treatment through quacks at their homes came to fore.
The incident came to light after a national Hindi daily conducted a sting operation, which revealed suppliers are selling oxygen concentrator units and other medical equipment to private players.
These entities are then illegally selling the essential equipment to local residents for home treatment for coronavirus. Such cases were mainly highlighted in Bombay Bazaar and Machhi Bazaar areas of the city. The sting operation further revealed that the suppliers misused the passes issued to vehicles engaged in essential commodities delivery amid lockdown in order to transport the equipment.
Several reports suggested there has been a whopping spike in demand for oxygen concentrators and medicines, including hydroxycholoroquine (HCQ), PPE kits, oxygen cylinders, oxygen masks, gloves and antibiotics, in the areas mentioned above.
The matter was highlighted after a whistleblower working in the district’s health sector came in touch with a man who ordered these machines and was also arranging the payments made to him. However, when the accused was questioned about the procurement of the equipment, he claimed he did it for the poor with due permission from the civic body.
Responding to the crisis, the administration said they are carrying out a parallel inquiry into the reports of home treatment. The police have also received information about locals receiving home treatment and the probe has been handed over to the crime branch, said Indore Deputy Inspector General Harinarayanchari Mishra.
District Collector Manish Singh said he received information of locals getting treatment of this deadly virus at homes without any supervision of medical staff and on this, the administration had summoned records from the oxygen cylinder suppliers in the areas.
Singh said the role of a middleman has been identified and the prime accused is being searched, and those involved would be booked under the stringent National Security Act.
Indore is one of the COVID-19 hotbeds in Madhya Pradesh and has reported 915 cases of infection so far, including 52 deaths and 71 recoveries.
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