Chandigarh, November 21
Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday offered all possible help to Delhi in managing its growing Covid cases, including while praising Punjab’s “unsung heroes” for their excellent work in handling the pandemic in the state, while ensuring the full readiness of its government, to increase health care facilities to prepare for a possible second wave of the pandemic.
“Delhi is fighting a tough battle and we are there to help, if necessary. I have also said it before, ”said the Chief Minister, while securing all possible measures from his government to prepare for the second wave in Punjab.
While no one knew when the second wave would hit Punjab, the experience of the NCR and other states / regions showed that it was an almost certain eventuality, he warned, expressing confidence that the Department of Health and OTS employees would again be on the lookout. height of the occasion to meet any challenge.
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While it is the duty of the state government to support health care workers and other frontline workers, many of whom became infected and some even lost their lives to Covid, the Chief Minister said it was also the responsibility of the people to associate. actively the state in the fight against the pandemic strictly following all safety regulations.
He declared ‘Mask hi vaccine hai’ as Mission Fateh’s resolution for the next several months, until a Covid vaccine arrived.
With the digital launch of 107 health and wellness centers (Tandarust Punjab Sehat Kendras) to boost the health care infrastructure in the state and provide health services to patients at their doorstep in both rural and urban areas, the Chief Minister praised the efforts of the Health and Medical Education departments that had made these centers a success story in just three years.
Urging people to join his government in making Punjab the number one state for healthcare, the Chief Minister said that his government is focused on strengthening healthcare facilities, especially levels two and three, with the aim to save lives through early testing and treatment.
Urging people to avoid crowded places and not have large gatherings and social functions, he emphasized the need to observe precautions, especially washing hands and wearing masks.
Listing the various measures taken by his government to handle the pandemic, he said that in addition to a record increase in testing facilities and medical care for COVID patients at L-2 and L-3 health facilities, banks of plasma and free Mission Fateh crown kits were provided. to patients subjected to home isolation.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, PPE kits, N-95 masks and other logistical items worth Rs 184.95 million were supplied to all front-line healthcare workers, while Rs worth medicines. Rs 5.57 million was provided to all patients in the L1, L2 and L3 facilities for Covid patients, the Chief Minister noted.
All Level 3 facilities received respiratory support and oxygen cylinders at all Covid care facilities, he said, adding that R-PCR, Rapid Antigen and TruNat tests have been made available to all suspected corona patients.
The Chief Minister said that the new health and wellness centers would bring Punjab’s health infrastructure to a new level of efficiency amid the Covid pandemic. These centers would go a long way in helping the state government expand its health care reach to a larger community of people across the state. Of the 3,049 centers planned in the state, 2,046 were already operational and 800 more would be operational in the next two months, with the rest set to open in 2021, he said.
These centers, staffed by community health officials, multipurpose health workers (men and women) and ASHA workers, have received facilities for 27 drugs, six diagnostic tests and teleconsultation facilities, the Chief Minister said, adding that 54 lakh of patients have been provided OPD services for hypertension, diabetes, etc.
