Tirupati 'Health Mela' sans patients irks Deputy CM; pulls up officials

Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh):  It is quite common that whenever the government organises ‘Health Mela’ scores of people from rural areas and the poor in urban areas throng for checkups to avail of the free consultation and diagnosis as they cannot afford to pay a visit to private hospitals. But, though it was free health checkup nobody has turned up much to the chagrin of officials. 

Deputy Chief Minister Narayanaswamy and MLA Bhuaman Karunakar Reddy expressed impatience over the attitude of the authorities concerned in Tirupati. Deputy Chief Minister inaugurated the 'Health Mela' in Tirupati. However, Narayanaswamy expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of patients except for doctors and staff at the 'Health Mela'. When the authorities tried to give an explanation, he refused. "I do not need explanations for patients not coming to the health fair," he said.

MLA Karunakar Reddy was also incensed at the attitude of the officers. Did the programme organised for officials and public representatives to look at each other? Angry MLA asked them. It’s a million-dollar question why the patients did not turn up for the 'Health Mela'. However, it is not clear whether officials did not publicise conducting the 'Health Mela' or patients did not come due to the scorching heat.