Punjab Medical Education and Research Department revamps medical care infrastructure in pandemic era

Chandigarh, December 29:
 
Punjab Medical Education and Research Department has carried out marvelous work to create infrastructure in the fight with Covid-19. The three Government Medical Colleges at Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot took a lead in early preparation by providing an adequate number of 3711 beds including 1494 isolation beds and 374 ICU+ DHU beds, with scope for further enhancement. More than 10,000 Covid-19 infected patients have been admitted in isolation wards and more than 8500 have recovered and have been discharged.
 
               Disclosing this here today, Medical Education and Research Minister  Om Parkash Soni said that the dedicated labour rooms & isolation wards for Covid-19 positive patients were established in the three Govt. Medical Colleges. The Department conducted the largest survey of about 250 private hospitals, on 76 parameter scale, to identify the facilities available to manage COVID-19 situation and to allocate additional resources to them if required. 1822 posts of Super Specialist and specialist doctors, nurses and other paramedics were sanctioned by the state government specifically for management of the COVID-19 pandemic. An expert group regularly meets to monitor the adequacy of tertiary care in the state. Seven labs with capacity of 26500 tests per day were established in the state for RT-PCR testing to rapid up testing. Total 27,34,826 tests have been done so far.
 
 Soni said three Plasma Banks have been established at GMCS Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot. 158 units of plasma collected throughout Punjab with the help of GMCSs. Plasma was provided free of cost by private hospitals and OPDs remained functional throughout the Pandemic. All operative procedures were being carried out following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The Cabinet Minister said that the Super Specialty Block at Govt. Medical College, Patiala has been awarded "Three Star' provisional V3.1 rating by Green Rating Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) under New & Renewable Energy Ministry of Government of India.