Senior citizens made to wait for long hours in over crowded Civil Hospital for vaccine

March 5: The Phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination drive has already kick started in India. However, on Thursday, a picture of mismanagement of the administration of the vaccine was noticed in SM Dev Civil Hospital, Silchar. The first and the foremost ‘mantra’ to be safe from being infected with COVID-19 is to maintain social distancing. However, in Silchar Civil Hospital, it was a scenario of huge crowd comprising of both civilians and the men in uniform compromising the concept of social distancing.

Moreover, those above 60 are now being vaccinated as per the decision of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. As such, large number of senior citizens came for the shots at SM Dev Civil Hospital, Silchar. However, the senior citizens too were made to wait for long hours in that crowded spot. A single bench was seen where at the most five persons could somehow seat and the rest of them (some of whom were too old) were bound to stand waiting for their turn.

Speaking to our correspondent, a gentleman who came to get his old father vaccinated expressed great displeasure as the mismanaged scenario prevailing inside the hospital. In a tone of deep anguish, he said, “How can the health authorities be a mute spectator of such mismanagement. My father is almost 70 years old. It is difficult for him even to stand properly. Is is indeed inhuman to make him wait for such a long time in this crowded place. Is he not vulnerable to get contaminated over here? I would like to draw the kind attention of the administration to take this matter seriously and make proper arrangement.”

Another senior citizen, a lady who came to get the dose of vaccine over there along with her next door neighbour was seen gasping for a breath in that over crowded place. At a certain point of time, she felt suffocated. Her neighbour was seen pouring water from a bottle on her head. The young girl who accompanied the lady said, “I am totally confused. What a mess is going on here. It’s merciless act on the part of the hospital authorities to make these senior citizens suffer in this manner. I am afraid that in the name of getting vaccinated, they might end up being infected with Covid-19!”