Siddaramaiah calls Centre's relief measures 'disastrous'

Karwar, Feb 9: It has now come to the knowledge that a Karwar youth identified as Abhishek (26) who is on board a cruise ship that was turned away at a Japan port has reached out for help. The vessel was carrying coronavirus infected tourists onboard.

On Friday, Japan had reported 41 confirmed cases in the vessel which is currently docked at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Tokyo. Abhishek works as a steward in Diamond Princess ship owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. The reports say that he is not infected by the virus. Around 3,700 people have been confined aboard the ship. The total number of Indian nationals is not yet confirmed.

Abhishek who hails from Canara Bank colony in Karwar in Karnataka on Saturday morning through a video call appealed to the Indian government to evacuate him from the ship and deport to India, while the company, where he works, has said the Indian Embassy in Japan is in continuous contact with the concerned authorities in Japan

Abhishek in his call to parents said “I am scared of the ship as the people are quarantined and the ship is isolated. Please contact government officials to evacuate me from the ship and deport me to India.”

Father of Abhishek, Balakrishna B talking to ToI said the Karwar district administration and the company he is working with have asked not to panic. The deputy commissioner (DC) of Karwar said Japan is performing normal procedures to contain the spread of the deadly virus which killed over 600 people across the world.

Indian embassy in Japan in its statement mailed to the parent of Abhishek said “As you are aware that the Diamond Princess cruise ship is presently under quarantine for a period of 14 days from Feb 5 due to positively tested cases of coronavirus onboard. All passengers and crew members on board have to follow the health and safety regulations put in place by the Japanese ministry of health, labour and welfare”

The embassy official, Anil K Kalra further said the office is in constant touch with the Japanese authorities who have assured that all passengers and the crew members of the ship are being taken care of and kept under health monitoring and there is no cause to worry. The official said “we are trying to reach out to all Indian nationals onboard to know about their well being and assure all possible help at this difficult juncture.

DC of Karwar, Harish Kumar K urged the parents not to panic and his office has sent a letter to state the government that will be forwarded to the ministry of external affairs. Japan is doing standard operating procedures to contain the virus and as of now, Abhishek is secure and safe.

Bengaluru, Mar 13: Health Minister B Sriramulu on Thursday assured the House that the state government will recruit doctors in all Primary Health Centres across the state through direct recruitment by the end of April this year.

The minister was answering MLA A T Ramaswamy, who raised the issue of shortage of doctors on Thursday. Sriramulu said there are 2,359 primary health centres in Karnataka, of which 1,432 centres have permanent doctors, 436 have doctors on contract basis, 236 have Ayush doctors, 55 have doctors who work under rural service, and the rest work on contract basis under the National Health Mission.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who had recently directed ministers to cancel KPSC recruitment and go for direct recruitment, expressed his anger  as it hasn’t been implemented even now. Sriramulu said, “I have directed the concerned District health officer to take action and go for direct recruitment. It will be done by end of April.”

He also said he is aware of the difference in salary between doctors working under the health department and those working under the medical education department. “This will also be rectified,’’ he assured.

Meanwhile, Sriramulu said that a hospital that he had inaugurated recently in Mysuru, has been shut due to the lack of doctors and furniture. “This will be sorted out soon,’’ he assured.