Hours after a man from Handwara was discharged from a COVID19 quarantine centre here, the officials rushed to sent him into isolation after his samples were tested positive for the fatal infection.
The incident has once again brought to fore the negligence on part of the authorities to manage the Fayaz (name changed), a resident of a Handwara village had reached Jammu from Delhi on May 14 in a special train arranged for the stranded person.
He said the officials of health department collected his samples for COVID19 tests at the railway station on May 15.
The same day he along with 20 persons were left for Kashmir and were directed to report at a quarantine centre at Baramulla.
“After staying for three days at the Baramulla quarantine centre, we were provided COVID 19 negative certificate with stamp and signature of Block Medical officer, Sheeri. We were allowed to go home with directions to spend next 14 days in home quarantine,” said Fayaz.
He said hours after reaching home, he received several calls from the offices of Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Block Medical Officer Langate and police station Kralgund, informing that he has tested positive for COVId19.
“I was shocked. Hours before they provided me COVID 19 negative certificate and now they were claiming that I have tested positive for the virus,” said Fayaz.
“My entire family is in shock and worried. I was greeted by my family members, relatives and neighbours on my arrival. Now all of them are in home quarantine for none of their fault,” said Fayaz.
His family members lashed out at the officials of the health department for the carelessness.
“We don’t know what will be our fate now, whether we too have contracted infection due to negligence of the health authorities,” said a family member of Fayaz.
The negligence on part of the authorities has now put our entire family, relatives and neighbours at the risk of contracting the infection,” he said.
Fayaz demanded that the official responsible for the negligence should be punished. This young man has now been placed in an isolation ward at COVID19 hospital Kupwara.
Fayaz said he shown a list received from a Srinagar hospital in which his named figured among the people who have tested positive for COVID19.
“I was tested at Jammu and my report should have been from there only. However, my name figures among the patients who have been tested at a Srinagar hospital which has deepened my doubts about my test report,” said Fayaz.
Chief Medical Officer, Baramulla, Deeba Khan said she will look into the matter. “If there is any fault on part of the officials of health department, we will take action,” she said.
Earlier, Block Medical Officer Magam was suspended for declaring a student, who had returned from outside J&K as negative for COVID19, without waiting for his actual test report.