CHANDIGARH: Health and Family Welfare Minister, Punjab Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu flagged off 22 IEC awareness vans under the Mission Fateh.Speaking at the occasion, Mr Sidhu said that these vans would visit in the urban and high-risk areas of Punjab to aware the public about Coronavirus and other diseases. COVID-19 tests will also be conducted during this campaign. These vans are equipped with Print material and Audio-Visual material.
Mr Sidhu said that there will be 1 van per District and a micro plan for the same has been prepared.
The Health Minister said that so far more than 31 lakh samples have been taken in Punjab out of which 149278 positive cases reported and at present about 7479 active cases in Punab.
Punjab has a positive rate of 4.9 percent while the national positive rate is 6.9 percent. In Punjab, 7 laboratories were being conducted the corona testing. 1500 ICU beds for critical patient care, 855 ventilators and more than 8000 oxygen beds have been arranged to provide quality services to corona patients.
He informed that 25000 to 30000 corona tests were being conducted daily in Punjab out of which 75 percent are RT-PCR tests. Corona Fateh Kits were also being provided to the patients in home isolation, these kits include Thermometer, Pulse Oximeter, Steamer, Essential medicines, and awareness material. Similarly, post COVID-19 care kits are being provided to the recovered patients in hospitals.
Every effort was being made to spread awareness regarding the coronavirus and the government has also taken various decisions during the corona pandemic and the government was fully prepared to deal with any situation.
He also appealed to the public to follow the norms like wearing a mask, social distancing, and hand washing.
Mr. Hussan Lal, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare said that the staff of the Health Department has worked tirelessly to control the virus. Life insurance of Rs. 50 lakhs has been provided to the health workers and frontline workers. PPE kits, masks and other items have been provided to the frontline workers at a cost of about Rs.185 crores. More than Rs. 5.5 crore worth of medicines has been provided free of cost for the treatment of positive patients.
On the occasion, Director Health Services Dr. Manjit Singh, OSD-Health Minister Dr.Balwinder Singh, Director NHM Dr.Parvinderpal Singh Sidhu, State Nodal Officer-COVID-19 Dr. Rajesh Bhaskar, State Program Officer IEC / BCC Mr. Shivinder Sehdev, and other officials of Health Department were present.