Centre puts Delhi hospitals on alert as Sonam Wangchuk fast enters third week
The Indian Union health ministry has ordered central hospitals to monitor climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is in the third week of a hunger strike. Medical teams are conducting twice-daily checkups to prevent health emergencies as the activist's condition shows signs of deterioration.
Why it matters
The government's intervention highlights the political sensitivity of the protest and the potential for a public health crisis involving a high-profile activist.
NEW DELHI: The Union health ministry has directed three central government hospitals to conduct twice-daily medical examinations of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and other participants in the ongoing hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, amid concerns of his “border line condition” and the fact that prolonged fasting could lead to medical emergencies triggered by silent organ failures. In an order issued on Thursday, the ministry designated Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital as the nodal hospital for any hospitalisation or emergency medical intervention involving the protesters. Medical teams from RML Hospital, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College have been asked to conduct health examinations twice a day, at 9 am and 9 pm, while the Centralised Accident & Trauma Services (CATS) has been directed to keep two Advanced Life Support ambulances stationed at the protest site.
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