Talking to ABP News, Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Suresh Khanna said that the order was issued after it came to the knowledge of the government that mobile phones can put patients at risk of infection. "However, the order has not been taken back," he said.
Amid the rise in Coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government had banned mobile phones for Covid-19 patients inside isolation wards, drawing criticism from Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav targeted the government at the move and alleged that it is an attempt to hide the condition of the hospitals from being captured by patients in their cell phones.
“If the infection spreads through mobile, it should be banned in the entire country not only isolation wards. Mobile phones provide mental support inside Isolation wards. In fact, the ban has been imposed to hide the truth of the misconduct and poor condition of the hospitals from reaching the public. The need of the hour is not to ban mobile but to sanitize,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
The UP government had banned the patients of Coronavirus from keeping mobile phones with them inside the isolation wards of hospitals, in a late night order on Saturday. Patients admitted in dedicated L-2 and L-3 Covid hospitals could then no longer take mobile phones along with them in the isolation wards in order to check the spread of the infection, the order said.
The govt had allowed two mobile phones with the ward in-charge so that patients can talk to their family members. The contact number for the phones shall be shared with the family members of the patients.
Director General Medical Education, K.K. Gupta, who issued the order, has informed all concerned officials and directors of dedicated Covid hospitals, IANS reported.
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(inputs from IANS)