SAD expresses shock at demise of 6 Covid patients in Amritsar due to shortage of oxygen

(Demands resp be fixed for the tragedy including high level inquiry)

(Bikram Majithia says CM should not shutter himself in his farm house and should lead from the front)

(Asserts health minister Balbir Sidhu does not deserve to remain in office for even one more days, demands he be dismissed imm)

Chandigarh, April 24 – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today expressed shock at the demise of six Covid-19 patients at Amritsar due to shortage of medical oxygen and demanded immediate fixing of responsibility for the tragedy, even as it condemned the Congress government for leading the State into doom and despair.

In a statement here, former minister Bikram Singh Majithia also demanded chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh tell Punjabis why he had not been able to set his house in order despite advance warnings of the second wave of Covid infections as well as need for more oxygen facilities, ventilators and ICUs. “It is clear that the chief minister has failed to lead from the front. He is content to shutter himself in his farm house as the State burns”.

Mr Majithia said the less said about Health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu the better. “The health minister has been oblivious to the situation developing in the State due to high incidence of the pandemic. He failed to do anything, be it ensuring upgradation of facilities in government hospitals, creating specialized care for Covid patients, increasing the ventilator count with ventilators sent from the centre remaining unpacked for months to creating more ICU facilities. Mr Balbir Sidhu is directly responsible for the deaths at Neelkanth hospital, Amritsar last night. He does not have the right to remain in office for even one more day. He should be dismissed forthwith”.

Meanwhile the senior SAD leader asked the chief minister to order a high level inquiry into the death of the six Covid patients last night. He also asked the chief minister to give express directions to the administration to ensure adequate availability of medical grade oxygen supply at all government and private hospitals. Majithia said more needed to be done to provide succor for Covid patients. “We are receiving horror stories from across the State. Besides shortage of oxygen, patients are not getting supply of life saving drugs like Toclizumab, Itolizumab and Remedisvir. Even ordinary medicines are not available in government hospitals”.

Majithia also demanded an independent probe into the Congress government claim that it had spent Rs 1,000 crore on upgrading hospital infrastructure to combat Covid in the last one year. “If the government had truly done this thousands would not have died due to its sheer apathy. Punjab would not have the highest mortality rate in the country”. He demanded the government increase bed facilities in hospitals; ensure adequate manufacturing and supply of oxygen to hospitals, increase ventilators and ramp up ICU facilities”.