Arresting Covid-19 becoming tough every passing day for Punjab

Punjab government's challenge to tackle the burgeoning number of Covid-19 cases is likely to become an even more arduous task with a sudden spike in positivity rate being reported from the state's countryside.

Punjab registering the highest death ratio at 2.38 per cent, the sudden spurt in Covid-19 cases and deaths in Punjab's rural areas and even in neighbouring Haryana’s hinterland, is being attributed, among other factors to the unrelenting farmer protests and rallies where covid appropriate protocols are arguably being thrown to the winds.

As if the shortage of oxygen supply, ICU beds in hospitals and scarcity of vaccines wasn’t enough, the state health department is also grappling with the problem of “faulty” ventilators being provided by the Centre under the PM-Cares fund. These have assumed critical proportions with the government raising the red flag and lockdowns increasingly becoming a norm.

Villages in Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s home turf Patiala underline the rising crisis in rural areas. Between April 1 and May 11, nearly 106 deaths have been reported in villages there.

Patiala civil surgeon Dr Satinder Singh said, “testing is being ramped up in villages to arrest the crisis.”

Also read: Hovering at 37 lakh, active Covid-19 cases plateau across India

Against a supply of nearly 300 metric tonnes (MT) of oxygen per day, Punjab is currently getting just about 230 MT per day leaving much to be desired when it comes to critical care. Punjab Health Minister Balbir Sidhu said the government is doing all in its preview to streamline oxygen supply.

Reports suggest that out of 320 ventilators supplied by the Centre, 237 are allegedly non-functional. Of the 109 ventilators at the government medical college in Amritsar, only 12 are functional.

The blame game on ventilators has begun.

While the state says 90 per cent of the ventilators are “faulty,” the Centre now maintains that the infrastructure to run the equipment was faulty not the ventilators.

Inoculation centres have been running dry for want of vaccines, especially for the 18-44 year age group. Health Secretary Hussan Lal said, “Of the 30 lakh Covishield doses ordered by the state government, the Serum Institute of India had so far confirmed 4.29 lakh doses of which only 1 lakh doses had been received.”

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh: “We are augmenting vaccine supplies. Punjab has decided to join the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility alliance for global sourcing and procurement of Covid vaccines”

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Punjab Assembly Harpal Cheema (AAP): "Call a special Assembly session to formulate a strategy to deal with the pandemic”

SAD president Sukhbir Badal: “The state government should cap charges of private hospitals, set up mini covid centres, accelerate vaccination drives and waive off power bills for six months”