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Captain inaugurates 50-bed paediatric Covid care ward in Ludhiana’s CMCH
Pact inked for setting up two oxygen plants in the district, for which 20 firms have donated ₹1.2 crore
Preparing the state for a possible third wave of the pandemic, Punjab chief minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday virtually inaugurated a 50-bed paediatric Covid care ward at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) here as a partnership initiative between the hospital and the Police Public Foundation.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed in the chief minister’s presence for setting up two oxygen plants in the district, for which 20 firms have donated ₹1.2 crore.
Also read: Covid-19: Four steps that can help India avoid a third wave
The two plants will become functional at CMCH and Krishna Charitable Hospital within six to eight weeks, according to CII former president Rahul Ahuja, who inked the pact on behalf of the industry with the two hospitals.
Terming the collaborative initiatives of the state’s industry, society and police “wonderful gestures”, the CM said the pandemic was a major challenge and the state had to be prepared for the worst.
“Though nobody knows yet if there will be a third wave in India, Punjab is making all efforts to gear up for another possible surge, which could affect the children more,” he added.
Captain urged the industry to motivate their employees to get vaccinated for their own protection and that of all Punjabis.
Lauding the industry’s role in supporting the state government’s fight against Covid, the CM said the industry in Punjab had always been at the helm of extending a helping hand in every crisis. Vardhman and Oswal industries had helped with oxygen supplies when cases were at the peak at around 9500+ a day, he recalled. Though the cases had declined to 2,184 as of June 1, it was not possible to ascertain how long the crisis will continue, he said, adding that Punjab will win and come out of this.
Amarinder also congratulated the Punjab Police Fund for the new Covid ward, for which it has provided financial assistance for medical infrastructure, as per the MoU signed by it with CMCH. The hospital has provided space, manpower, administrative and technical support for setting up of the ward, which is a Level-2 facility. Patients in this ward will be provided treatment at concessional rates, with 20% of the beds being reserved for the poor and needy. The ward is fully functional and equipped with all necessary infrastructure – beds, cardiac monitors, and oxygen concentrators. The ward has been completed within a month of signing of the MoU.
The Punjab Police have gone beyond the call of their duty and done a lot of humanitarian work, including distribution of food and the recently launched ‘Bhojan Helpline’ to ensure that nobody goes to sleep hungry in the state, said the CM.
CMCH director William Bhatti thanked the Ludhiana citizens for once again coming out to help in these testing times, while chief secretary Vini Mahajan said the public and industry support, along with the contribution of the private health sector, proved to be a major asset in the state’s fight against Covid.
DGP Dinkar Gupta said the initiative to set up the special ward was taken forward by Ludhiana police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal after an appeal was made by CM to leaders of industry and business. Police Public Foundation’s senior vice-president Neeraj Satija steered the initiative, along with RN Dhoke, ADGP, enforcement directorate, who heads Police Public Foundation — a registered society.
Virus claims 5 lives, infects 285
Five persons died, while 285 persons tested positive for Covid in the last 24 hours in Ludhiana.
Among the dead are four women aged 50 and above from Haibowal Kalan, Kitchlu Nagar, Hussainpura and Boparai Kalan. A man, 65, from Shimlapuri was the fifth victim. The total number of positive cases in Ludhiana since the beginning of the pandemic is 84,622, including 2,007 deaths. There are 3,604 active cases in the district at present, while 79,011 have recovered.
Meanwhile, four fresh cases of black fungus were reported in the district, taking the cumulative count of cases to 82 on Wednesday.
