The Central team, visiting Punjab following an explosion in the Covid-19 cases, has found the health system ailing and has recommended, among other things, injecting resources into urgent development of healthcare infrastructure in the State’s “red” districts.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to Punjab’s Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Hussan Lal, highlighted the gaps in the testing, contact tracing, and even state’s healthcare infrastructure coupled with non-adherence of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour which is hampering the State’s battle against Covid-19.

The letter, highlighting the areas of concern, including sub-optimal containment operations, and contact tracing, skewed testing and shortage of health workers, came after the central teams, deputed to visit worst affected States, submitted its report to the Union Health Ministry.

Of the 50 districts most affected by Covid-19 across India, nine are in Punjab.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to the States, shared a brief summary of key performance indicators related to testing, hospital infrastructure and vaccination, as reported by the Central teams, for suitable corrective actions by State or District Administrations.

Bhushan, taking strong note of the non adherence Covid appropriate behaviour, has advised Punjab to enforce the norms more strictly to prevent further spread of the contagion.

In the letter, the Centre has listed out loopholes district-wise besides immediate steps required.

The team has pointed out “fast exhausting ICU bed capacity” in most of the nine “red” districts of the State. As per the report of the central team, the ICU bed occupancy rates in the State was reported to be 89 per cent in Ludhiana, followed by 80 per cent in SAS Nagar (Mohali), 70.6 per cent in SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr), 63.2 per cent in Jalandhar, and 44.4 per cent in Patiala, 40 per cent in Amritsar, 20 per cent in Hoshiarpur, while Ropar’s data was not available.

The Central Government has asked the respective District Administrations to prioritise addressing the hospital infrastructure, especially in Mohali, Jalandhar, and Ludhiana, as hospital bed occupancy rates continue to rise due to the rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

Besides, it pointed out that the availability of isolation beds “with oxygen” is also declining. As per the available figures, the occupancy rate of isolation beds with oxygen in the State is as high as 98 per cent in Hoshiarpur, followed by 69 per cent in Mohali, 46 per cent in Ludhiana, 38 per cent in Amritsar, 35.6 per cent in Jalandhar, 35.2 in Nawanshahr, 34.4 per cent in Patiala, 25 in Rupnagar (Ropar).

In fact, more than 75 per cent Covid-positive patients, in the listed ‘eight red’ districts, are under home isolation mandating strict monitoring by the health authorities.

The letter, giving district wise details, pointed that Patiala and Ludhiana districts are vaccinating people against Covid-19 at a slower pace. The Union health Secretary has asked the Punjab Government to address the issue on priority.

It stated that Patiala and Ludhiana districts are also lagging behind in terms of contact tracing, while the rate of testing has dropped in Patiala. Besides, Patiala and Mohali are also witnessing a shortage in terms of healthcare workers.

The central teams pointed out that Mohali and Rupnagar districts have no dedicated Covid-19 hospital, and the patients are being referred to the neighbouring districts or Chandigarh.

Talking about Ropar, the team pointed out that the district neither has any dedicated RT-PCR testing laboratory, nor has enough manpower. “Rupnagar’s hospitals are facing a shortage in terms of manpower due to which ventilators in these hospitals are not being optimally utilised,” the report stated.