Punjab has left only 1.9 lac COVID-19 vaccines doses: Balbir Sidhu

Chandigarh/Bholath:

When situation turns distressing after rapidly surging COVID cases, Punjab Government is firing from all cylinders to effectively tackle the situation but the state has left only 1.9 lac doses of vaccine due to the lesser supply of the vaccine from Government of India. Out of this available stock, more than 1 lac doses expected to be used today.

While inaugurating the Guru Nanak Dev Dialysis Unit, Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that, about 1.5 lac beneficiaries got vaccinated as on 25 April and Chief Minister Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh has already raised the alarming situation of Punjab due to increasing cases of corona virus and demanded the regular supply of COVID-19 vaccine and oxygen from GoI.  

Talking about the Covid vaccination drive, he said that Punjab government is organizing vaccination at all the primary health centers and health wellness centers as well as special camps in the rural areas to facilitate the people at their doorsteps where we have capacity of vaccinating more than 3 lac beneficiaries easily.  

He said that more than 30,05,083 people have been vaccinated in Punjab so far under which a total of 26,82,393 vaccinated with first dose and 3,22,690 with the second dose.

He said that the Punjab Government has already appealed to the union government to regularize the supply of vaccines in the state as the trained staff and infrastructure provided by the Punjab government could vaccinate 3 lakh people daily, requiring 15 lakh doses every week. He said that the health department had written a letter to the Union Ministry of Health on April 22 demanding 10 lakh doses of vaccine.

He divulged the health department has received the intimation letter from GoI that they are sending only 1.5 lac doses of Coviesheild vaccine against our demand by tomorrow.

Regarding the preparations for vaccination for people above 18 years of age from May 1, he said that Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh had asked the department to order 30 lakh covshield vaccine doses.

Replying to a query regarding the shortage of oxygen, he said that the plants of the Punjab government were running at full capacity while the central government had reduced the liquid oxygen quota of Punjab.

Earlier, Mr Sidhu inaugurated a dialysis unit set up by Baba Zorawar Singh, Baba Fateh Singh Seva Society at Civil Hospital Bholath at a cost of about Rs. 85 lakh. He lauded the contribution made by the society and said that the need of the hour was to provide quality health care to the people. He also interacted with the patients who came for dialysis at the Hospital.

On this occasion MLA . Mr. Navtej Singh Cheema, MLA Mr. Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Deputy Commissioner Mrs. Deepti Uppal, SSP Mrs. Kanwardeep Kaur IPS , Civil Surgeon Dr. Parminder Kaur, Congress leader Amandeep Singh Gora Gill, Ranjit Singh Rana, SMO. Dr. Bholath Shalindar Singh and others were present.

1,80,461 HOME QUARANTINE PATIENTS COPE UP IN PUNJAB: BALBIR SIDHU
Chandigarh: In a consoling aspect in devastating situation, around 1,80,461 COVID-19 positive patients who kept under home isolation (HI) were successfully recovered from jaws of this deadly infection and about 38,948 active patients under HI at present, are poised to win this fierce battle with the consultation of our dedicated teams.
 
Giving details in a press statement, Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that mild symptomatic and asymptomatic patients need not to admit in hospitals and choose the option for home isolation at the time of testing only. He said that so far 2,21,833 patients were advised for home quarantine from which 98 percent recovered effectively with the telephonically medical consultation of our dedicated health experts and 2,331 patients have been referred to institutional observation till date.  
 
Mr. Sidhu asserted that Rapid Response Teams have been constituted in each block of all cities and villages for home visits and look after positive patients in home isolation. ''Patients are immediately shifted to appropriate health facility if the condition deteriorated and severe symptoms came up'', he added.
 
He said that 48,154 positive patients are in state as on dated 25 April. 24x7, 104 Helpline is specially geared up towards handling enquiries from the public for any support regarding information for Covid-19 symptoms, location of health facilities for testing or admission.
 
Health Minister said that 1,90,000 Corona Fateh Kits containing pulse oximeter, thermometer, steamer and essential medicines have been procured and being distributed to patients in home isolation for better care in the comforts of their home. However, 38,169 Corona Fateh Kits have been distributed during this month. Besides food kits, 10,000 Post Health Care Kits also distributed to the needy patients.