CHANDIGARH: To deal with anxiety, fear and stigma regarding Covid-19, the Captain Amarinder Singh led Punjab Government started dedicated 24x7 tele-consultation service on toll-free number 1800-180-4104, in addition to 104 medical helpline under e-sanjeevani program.
Divulging details in the press release issued here today, the Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that to address the concerns of every person and to listen their apprehensions and doubts about corona pandemic, the free tele-consultation services commenced on the occasion of ‘World Mental Health Day’. He said that under this first of its kind initiative; psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors are providing the services to the affected people at large. “World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for us to come together and make a commitment to scale up the investment in mental health which is need of hour during this unprecedented situation”, he said.
Till now, more than 16k migrants out of total 31K patients in isolated wards and about 50k patients in hospitals and home quarantine have been provided psychological and mental support to the patients who are reluctant to share their problems and fears due to social stigma, he said, adding that further strengthen these services, the Punjab Government has decided to launch the psychiatric OPD services on E-sanjeevani platform.
The Cabinet Minister said that number of positive cases declining the positivity rate in Punjab has come down drastically to 4% in first week of October and showing further decline in last 3 days. Sampling/Testing is around 30000 per day. Recovery rate of Punjab is nearly 89 percent which is higher than national average of 85 percent. With Testing made easier and simpler norms for home isolation, people are coming forward for testing. The number of deaths has decreased considerably and number of sick patients in hospitals has also decreased.
Mr. Sidhu said that this year ‘World Mental Health Day’ comes with time when our daily life was changed considerably as a result of Covid-19 pandemic. The theme of this year is MENTAL HEALTH FOR ALL: GREATER INVESTMENT, GREATER ACCESS.
The Minister said that past few months have brought many challenges providing health care to the people, going to work with the fear of contacting Covid-19 and bringing the infection home, loss of jobs and daily livelihood, Further, aggravated by the loss of lives of near and dear ones.