Boost hospital infra & ramp up vaccination drive

With shortage of ICU beds, drugs & oxygen, how can UT deal with rising Covid cases?

Provide beds in dispensaries

The number of Covid patients is swelling fast. The Administration should provide more beds in Sector 22-D, Sector 19 and Sector 11-C dispensaries and at other private hospitals in the city. If need arises, more beds can be provided in Punjab University hostels and colleges. More medical staff will also be required to treat positive patients. This demand can be met by seeking assistance of private practitioners on payment basis. With the closure of OPD facilities at the PGI, more beds should be arranged for Covid patients. Also, the Administration can request the Centre for adequate supplies of oxygen and drugs.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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Track purchase of oxygen, drugs

To prevent hoarding and black marketing the Administration needs to track every purchase of emergency drug and oxygen and admission to hospitals in the city. An appeal can be made to the people to not to panic and focus on rational behaviour by being safe rather than cursing the Administration and throwing all caution to the winds. Let us work for common good. Always wear face mask and stop partying.

Dr Suneeta Patnayak, Chandigarh

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Enforce safety norms strictly

Strict enforcement of Covid precautions, wearing face masks and maintaining social distance can help in dealing with rising Covid patients in the city. Patients must be provided best available facilities at their home. Stadiums, schools and hotels can be turned into temporary hospitals. As media reports that there is no oxygen or medicine, people are psychologically hit.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Mohali

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Send violators of norms to lock-up

The City Beautiful is battling the same war again, which is worse and deadlier than the earlier strain of the virus. Many people are not taking the pandemic seriously. In most internal streets and roads, hooligans with no face masks can be seen triple riding on their two-wheelers. Such people pose a risk to others. They must be taken into police custody, sent for the RT PCR test and isolated for 15 days. Stricter measures are required to check people moving around without any valid reasons. Such people must be heavily fined and sent to the lock-up. Also, their vehicles be impounded.

Manish Banerjee, Chandigarh

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Priority must be to save residents’ lives

Uniform guidelines are must in Chandigarh to curb the virus infection. To strengthen the city’s stressed health infrastructure the Administration should facilitate amalgamation of nursing homes. Private doctors and nursing homes can share patients. If need be 14-day lockdown may be imposed to break the transmission chain. Weekend lockdown have no scientific basis. Currently, the focus should be on having adequate health facilities and beds in hospitals. Those with mild symptoms should be isolated at home with regular tele-consultation. The ‘chalta hai’ Indian attitude must go. Most infection spreaders are young people. Extensive random testing of people in all congested areas is must.

Vijay Malia, Chandigarh

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Create temporary isolation facilities

Sudden surge of coronavirus patients has almost made hospitals in the city almost inaccessible. All positive patients with milder symptoms should be sent to home isolation. Those, who don’t have enough space at their homes can be quarantined in railway coaches and other public places, which can be easily converted into makeshift isolation facilities/hospitals. In this ambit fall Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Bhawans and various clubs in the city.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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Donate oxygen cylinders

Keeping in view the prevailing Covid-19 surge in the UT the Administration should immediately convert government schools and colleges into hospitals for ICU patients. Volunteers should donate oxygen concentrators and cylinders for ICU patients. Simultaneously, a vaccination drive on the doorstep must be initiated. More paramedical staff should be recruited to deal with the present crisis. Vaccination of people from all age groups should be completed till mid of this year.

Nitin Sud, Panchkula

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Turn community centres into hospitals

With increasing Covid cases, the UT Administration is struggling to tackle the heavy inflow of patients in hospitals. Community Centres, which are available 24×7 and have ample space, can be used as makeshift hospitals. The Administration should ensure adequate availability of manpower, drugs and oxygen at hospitals in the city.

Ryan Sood, Panchkula

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Stop hoarding of drugs, oxygen

The Chandigarh Administration should turn government buildings, schools and dharamshalas into hospitals with adequate facilities for Covid patients. Hoarding of Remedesivir drug should not be allowed. Strict action should be taken against hoarders and black marketeers of life-saving drugs. Final-year medicine students should help doctors in the treatment of Covid patients.

|Adish Sood, Amloh

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Engage general physicians

Sector-wise community centers should be converted into Covid care centres with active participation of the area councillor and RWA. Each bed in hospital should have an oxygen cylinder. General physicians can be engaged and paid by RWAs to treat coronavirus patients in their areas. Government dispensary paramedical staff and specialist doctors should regularly visit community centre in their area and monitor Covid patients.

Sharanjit Singh Kallah, Mohlali

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Only 50% follow safety norms

Every government school building in each sector/village should be converted into Covid hospital to take care of ever increasing demand of beds. Simultaneously, the UT Administration should enforce Covid guidelines strictly to contain further spread of the virus. Despite such hue and cry, not more than 50 per cent of the population is following safety norms as there is no one to penalise them.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

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Generate more life-saving gas

Marriage palaces, resorts, inns and community centres should be used as make-shift hospitals to treat Covid patients. Medicines/injections used to treat Covid patients should be sold on prescription only. In order to combat shortage of medical staff, interns or retired employees can be deployed in the present crisis. More plants can be set up in the wake of surge in demand for oxygen.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Social organisations must come forward

We all have to admit that the situation is truly grim and in such circumstances we all need to be together. The Administration is doing its level best to prevent the spread of virus, but it’s easier said than done. Social organisations must come forward in this hour of need. Schools, banquet halls and public libraries can be converted into temporary hospitals for Covid patients. All should find solution to common problems.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

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it’s payback time for industrialists

In today’s scenario queues of Covid patients are getting longer outside hospitals while they wait to get medical attention. We badly need Samaritans, who can help the needy. Although, everyone should extend the helping hand to the needy, industrial houses, celebrities, including film stars and sportspersons, along with other rich class, must assist the government in tackling this deadly pandemic. They can create additional medical infrastructure by providing oxygen, ventilators, ICU beds, lifesaving medicines, ambulances and shelters for attendants of patients outside hospitals with necessary amenities. Industry is running only because of hard work of the labour class. It’s time for industrialists to pay back to their workers. Film stars and sports personalities have to repay their fans with financial support

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Despite warning, admn failed to act

Shortage of ICU beds, medicines and oxygen has complicated problems of hospitals in the region. The Administration must campaign to exhort public to follow Covid guidelines. The Administration must procure generators to produce lifesaving gas from environment instead of liquid oxygen. This should have been done much earlier as report submitted by an expert committee had already warned the government about requirement of oxygen during the second peak. The government must give emergency licence and clearance to produce Covid related drugs like Remdesivir. Vaccination drive must be ramped up to save people from serious infection. Also, stern action must be taken against people hoarding critical medicines and oxygen. Help can also be taken from armed forces for setting up of medical facilities within shorter period.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali

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Shows lackadaisical attitude of authorities

The recent surge in critical Covid cases in Chandigarh and adjoining areas has raised demand for ICU beds in hospitals. The situation is precarious as oxygen and drugs for the treatment of Covid patients are in short supply. The Administration was never prepared for this eventuality. The current state of affairs has turned our attention to the lackadaisical attitude of all stakeholders in the government and administration towards saving precious lives of citizens. The collapsing health infrastructure has totally exposed our system. There is an urgent need for bigger hospitals, more doctors and support staff to prevent this type of health catastrophe in future.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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Use infra of all hospitals

Healthcare system is under immense pressure. The situation is same across all hospitals in the tricity. The Palsora hospital with 50 beds can be converted into Covid care centre. Infrastructure of other small government and private hospitals can also be used for taking care of coronavirus patients in the UT. Services of retired doctors and paramedics can be utilised during the present crisis. Industrialists, NGOs and social organisations can set up makeshift healthcare centres to treat Covid patients. Residents should take all safety measures.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

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Trace, isolate, treat

Amidst raging coronavirus cases and severe oxygen shortage the collapse of the healthcare system cannot be averted. More than year has passed fighting the deadly virus, but the authorities did not ramp up the health infrastructure or facilities to fight the second Covid wave. The sudden surge in infected cases within a couple of weeks has led to panic as existing hospitals have not been able to deal with patients. At this stage, isolation, tracing and treatment are needed to contain the spread of the virus.

Anureet Dhami, Zirakpur

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Consider severity of disease for treatment

The Covid situation is already out of hand and utterly chaotic to say the least. Gatherings, including political, social and religious, should be banned. All movement except absolutely necessary should be curbed. Safety protocol like wearing face masks, distancing and isolation should be followed strictly and violators punished. Medical care should be given on the basis of the severity of disease and not status or rank. All parties should forget political differences and pool their funds, resources and manpower to fight the deadly pandemic. People should do their duty, follow rules, don’t panic and stand united firmly. Correct information and systematic vaccination drive will also contain the pandemic.

Bubby Soin, Chandigarh

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Panel can check hospital functioning

The Chandigarh Administration is not serious when it comes to checking the spread of the coronavirus. Lockdown or curfew is not a solution to pandemic. The Administration must frame a sub-committee to supervise the working of all hospitals (both government and private). ICU beds, drugs and oxygen must be provided to Covid-19 patients on priority. All must be treated equally irrespective of his/her status.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

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Strict restrictions only solution

No doubt, the Covid situation in the city is alarming and demands additional health centres to provide medical aid to patients suffering from the disease. As schools are closed, the authorities can utilise such buildings and convert them into makeshift Covid care centres. As per prevailing crisis, services of all doctors doing private practice in the city can be sought. Residents should also realise their responsibility and take safety measures seriously. The Administration has to deal with violators of safety norms strictly.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali

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Prevention is better than cure

The authorities must replenish medical supplies and provide more infrastructure like ICU beds in hospitals at the earliest. They must focus on the people, who are still unaffected by the virus, as prevention is better than cure. They must ensure that maximum people are vaccinated, SOPs are followed in public places, all parks are closed and those, who have recovered from the coronavirus, donate their plasma. Strict lockdown must be imposed in the city. People must be urged not to venture out of homes unnecessarily to break the chain of the virus transmission.

Simran Sidhu, Chandigarh

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Don’t panic, fight virus

The pandemic is in a menacing form and creating fear among individuals. This is a time to fight and not to panic from the virus. Logistics must be strengthened in order to provide oxygen and other medical supplies to Covid patients. A method should be devised to control the black marketing of essential medicines and equipment. We should not be complacent towards dreaded pandemic. Only genuine work at the ground level can contain the virus.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

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A challenge for the UT Administration

The rising number of Covid cases in Chandigarh pose a challenge to the UT Administration when it comes to providing proper medical aid to patients. Besides, increasing ICU beds and ensuring adequate supply of drugs and oxygen at hospitals in the city there is a dire need to create necessary additional Covid care infrastructure in identified schools, colleges and institutions to cope up with the present crisis.

RPS Chopra, Chandigarh

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Provide consultancy on the phone

To deal with increasing coronavirus cases in the tricity the authorities have to resort to non-conventional ways and means as facilities like ICU beds, drugs and oxygen in hospitals are awfully saturated. People have to be sensitised towards compliance with the Covid-appropriate behaviour, boosting immunity with ‘desi’ concoctions and exercising regularly. Majority of patients do not require hospitalisation. Those with mild/moderate infection should be provided 24X7 telephonic consultancy for isolation and recovery at home. Doctors can also volunteer for providing aid during the pandemic. Telephone numbers of consultant doctors should be widely publicised.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

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Check sale of drugs on the black market

It was joint responsibility of the Centre and the UT Administration to make advance arrangements for medical facilities, but both failed to do so. Black marketing or hoarding of oxygen cylinders should be a punishable offence. Reduce price of oxygen cylinders and lifesaving drugs to help common man. Ashrams, healthcare units and hostels can be converted into makeshift special Covid care units with ICU beds, oxygen and medical staff.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

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Take corrective measures

In the city around 800 infected cases are reported every day. This has proved that we have not learnt any lesson from the first Covid wave and the failure of the Administration. The pandemic surges ahead with no signs of tapering off. Firstly, take corrective steps as there is already talk of the third and fourth Covid waves. ‘Apni Mandis’ have to be closed at once. Crippling shortage of oxygen cylinders needs to be removed. Hoarding of oxygen cylinders and black marketing of medicines has to be checked. Sanitise the entire city. Check violation of SOPs sternly. Bureaucracy should inspect the affected areas regularly.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

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QUESTION

Has the UT Administraion done enough to control the second wave of coronavirus in Chandigarh?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]