Evenas the second surge continued to abate in the state, Punjab Chief MinisterCaptain Amarinder Singh on Friday approved Rs 380 crore to be spent by theHealth and Medical Education departments in preparing for a possible third waveof the Covid pandemic.
Ata virtual review meeting of the situation in the state, the Chief Minister alsogave go ahead for filling of 674 GDMO, 283 MO(Specialists); 2000 Staff Nursesposts , along with330 faculty posts inPatiala and Amritsar Medical Colleges. He also asked the departments to bringthe proposal for any additional posts needed to the Cabinet to ensure that allvacant posts are filled at the earliest.
TheRs 380 crore amount approved by the Chief Minister shall be spent on PSA oxygenplants, MGPS Load enhancement and package substations, cryogenic liquid medicaloxygen tanks, as well as BLS Ambulancesamongst others.
Assertingthat funds have never been allowed to become a constraint in the stategovernment’s response to Covid, the Chief Minister made it clear that fundswill continue to be made available even in the future, as per requirement. Thestate was ready for the third wave, with preparations being made for 25% morepatients than in the second wave, he added.
TheChief Minister directed the departments to ensure testing at minimum 40000 aday, with smart testing to ensure timely information on any upsurge.
Appreciatingthe detailed Surveillance strategy prepared by the Health and Medical Educationdepartments, in consultation with experts, for prevention and containment ofthe third wave, the Chief Minister said GIS based surveillance and preventiontools will be used with an auto trigger mechanism for localised restrictions inthe first instance.
Regional or statewide restrictions will be unveiled in thesecond instance if the need so arises, he said, adding that districts will becategorised, on the basis of risk levels, into three categories, enablingdistricts to implement restrictions for containment on scientific basis.
TheChief Minister directed that data cells in each district be activated forcollection and analysis of data.
ChiefSecretary Vini Mahajan informed the meeting that funds and Oxygen plants havebeen provided as necessary to ensure that there is no shortage.