Stating that the areas which have been declared as Containment Zones in Haryana have been completely sealed, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Thursday said that to eradicate Covid-19, Health Department teams will visit every house in the State for the screening of each person.
Interacting with media persons after a review meeting regarding the preparedness for Covid-19 with Home, Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education and Research, and Urban Local Bodies Departments in Chandigarh, he said these four departments are fighting on the forefront against Covid-19 in the State and the officers and employees of these departments have done excellent work in making the lockdown-1 a success. He said today there are a total of 149 active cases in Haryana.
Vij said that advisories are being issued from time to time by the Central Government regarding Covid-19 patients and these advisories are being implemented in Haryana as well. In this series, the Containment Zone and Buffer Zone have been created, under which the definitions of Containment Zone and Buffer Zone are different in rural and urban areas.
He said that the officers have been directed that sanitization works should be carried out daily in the Containment Zone and sanitization will be done under the second phase in the entire state as well.
The Minister said that the bank premises, mandis, markets, grocery stores, chemist shops as well as ration depots have been directed to maintain social distancing in their establishments and if any establishment fails to maintain the same then they will not be allowed to open or operate.
He said that a letter has been written to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) that in view of the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, they should ask private doctors to open their private clinic so that the general public can be treated for other diseases and problems. Similarly, he said that the Health Department has been directed to keep retired doctors on contract for one year so that the Covid-19 pandemic can be dealt with properly. He said that so far 197 doctors have joined their duty and it has been decided to give joining letters to 58 doctors on the waiting list.
Vij informed that nine special Covid Hospitals equipped with ICUs, ventilators and other equipment have been set up in Haryana in which teams of best doctors have been appointed. He said that Covid-19 patients will only be kept in Covid Hospital and they will not be kept in any other general hospital. Apart from this, he informed that 411 mobile dispensaries have also been started in Haryana which will help in treating other diseases.
In response to a question, Vij said that the lockdown will be strictly enforced and action will also be taken against the violators under the necessary laws. He said that the police officers have been directed to strictly implement the lockdown and Containment Zone should be properly monitored.
Similarly, in response to another question, he said that Haryana was the first state in the country where the Epidemic Act was implemented, under which it was directed to file an FIR against the negligent private doctor for not bringing the case of the Covid-19 positive Sector-15, Panchkula resident to the notice of the Civil Surgeon as it is the duty of private doctors to give the information about the Covid-19 patients to the concerned officers and administration.