With 948 employees of the state Health Department testing positive during their Covid-19 duty, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Friday warned the anti-Punjab people to stop carrying out misleading activities.
Expressing his grief over the sudden death of Ram Singh Ugoke, posted as Multi-Purpose Health Worker at Khudi-Khurd and Dhillwan villages of Tapa block in Barnala district, Sidhu appealed to the people not to believe rumors, and absurd propaganda about COVID-19.
“Thousands of workers like Ram Singh are battling at the forefront against the global corona epidemic. Ram Singh was only 49 years old. It is sad to hear that the day Ram Singh passed away due to Corona was also his birthday,” said Sidhu.
Expressing grave concern over rumors, absurd, and figment propaganda regarding corona, the Minister said that some anti-Punjab elements are spreading lies against corona and health workers to affect the campaign of the State Government.
“I stood by my employees at all times and would not let their morale fall under any circumstances. As many as 948 employees of the Health Department have tested positive during the line of their duty and death incidents of health workers including doctors have also happened due to corona.
The people of the State should respect the efforts of the Health Department staff to control the situation in this hour of crisis and come forward to get tested for the symptoms of the corona,” he said.
The Minister appealed to the people of the State not to believe in the rumors, and if any person found spreading lies against the health workers or misleading people about Corona, report it immediately to the Health or Police Department.
“Strict action would be taken against these accused and rumors mongers. It is unfortunate that even some so-called political leaders are being misleading the inadvertent villagers, which is proving fatal for patients having co-morbidity,” he said adding that frightened by such false and misleading propaganda, people are afraid to get them tested despite having symptoms of corona.
As a result, the death rate is also gradually increasing in the State.
Sidhu also warned the “anti-Punjab people” to stop carrying out such deceptive campaigns under which a large number of false news and provocative videos were being spread. He said that Punjab Police was registering cases against them and stern action will be initiated.