Punjab Government will cap the Covid hospitalisation and treatment rates of private hospitals, and those not adhering to the same will be shut down, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said on Friday.
The fee structure for private hospitals and clinics is expected to be finalised by Monday, the Chief Minister said during his #AskCaptain session on Facebook.
Taking strict view of complaints of exorbitant fee being charged by private hospitals, the Chief Minister termed such actions as anti-people and anti-national’ and warned that the private institutions would not be allowed to indulge in such shameless profiteering at the cost of the lives of people. “If these hospitals do not agree to the Government rates, we will close them down,” he added.
Expressing concern over the spike in Covid cases in the state, which he attributed to the large number of people coming from other places, the Chief Minister said he had sought from the Centre permission to allow the state to make Covid test certificates mandatory for all those crossing the border.
Capt Amarinder said he had raised the issue with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s Video Conference with CM to review the Covid situation.
With 87000 cars having entered Punjab from Delhi alone in recent days, and the spike in cases in the past only due to outsiders, the threat of the pandemic spiralling further was acute, said the CM. He said that he had requested the PM to allow entry of only those with valid Covid-free certificates. In fact, those leaving Punjab should also carry similar certificates to check the spread of the coronavirus into other states, he said.
Even as he reiterated the state’s preparedness for handling the Covid crisis, with no shortage of equipment and supplies, the CM said the battle had to be fought collectively by all, with every citizen taking the onus to check the spread of the disease by following all norms of social distancing, wearing of masks etc.
For the first time, there had been an increase in the number of people on Oxygen and Ventilator, he said, adding that the situation was explosive, with cases rising around the world. With easing of restrictions and more testing, the numbers would continue to spike, he warned, adding that timely intervention and adherence to protocols was imperative to save lives.
Elaborating on the state’s medical preparedness, Capt Amarinder said 551 ventilators were already available with government and private hospitals and another 93 had been ordered. The State Govt had also ordered 4 lakh more N95 masks to supplement the existing stock of 9.25 lakh. In addition, the state had 79 lakh triple layered masks, 2.39 lakh PPE kits and 2200 oxygen cylinders. As far as beds were concerned, more than 6000 beds had been arranged in Govt hospitals and another 900 in private hospitals, and currently 2500 were filled up. In the second state, the State plans to add 10000 more beds, to be followed by another 30000 in the third stage, he added.
Captain Amarinder also invited a group of youngsters, who had made a video on him in lockdown times, to meet him whenever they came to Chandigarh.
The Chief Minister also assured that infrastructure development and road link projects were being taken up and completed in right earnest.
On the issue of Sikhs in Uttar Pradesh being relocated, Capt Amarinder said he had spoken to his counterpart Yogi Adityanath and was hopeful that the latter would stop the move. If that does not happen, he will take up the matter with the Prime Minister, he added.
CAPT AMARINDER CONVENES ALL-PARTY MEET ON JUNE 24 ON CENTRAL ORDINANCES ON FARMING SECTOR
Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh has convened an all-party meeting on June 24 to evolve a consensus on the Central Govt’s Agriculture related ordinances, which he said were totally unacceptable to the state as they were against the interests of the farmers and could spell the end of the MSP regime.
Describing the ordinances as a precursor to the end of the MSP regime, which the Government of India was clearly aiming to do, the CM said that based on the meeting consensus, a letter would be sent to the Government of India demanding immediate roll-back of the Ordinances.
He called for an urgent review of the anti-farmer Ordinances issued by the Central Government, expressing confidence that all parties of Punjab were one in the rejection of these Ordinances, which could not only pave the way for ending the MSP support to farmers but also render the Mandi Boards ineffective. The chief minister said that the union government’s move to end the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) monopoly through an ordinance, will result in huge losses to the Mandi Board, which currently earns Rs 3500 to 3,600 crores annually in the form of market fee and rural development fund (RDF).