'Fateh Kits' unavailable, patients approach dispensaries

Manav Mander

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 29

Not getting ‘Fateh Kits’ on their doorstep, Covid positive patients in Ludhiana have been visiting dispensaries and healthcare centres for the same after desperate calls to the Civil Surgeon’s office. Not only family members, but patients too have been visiting nearby dispensaries.

Amid the surge in Covid cases, the district health officials have clearly failed to ensure ‘Fateh kits,’ consisting of 18 items — including a pulse oximeter, thermometer, steamer, face mask, sanitiser, gargle solution, cough syrup and multi-vitamins — to those infected.

A 22-year-old patient from Dugri said he repeatedly called on 104, but to no avail. “Left with no other option, I myself went to the nearby health centre to collect the kit,” he said. Another resident Rajinder Singh cpmplained: “One of my family members tested positive. As the test was done by a private lab, the patient’s name was not on the health department’s list. We don’t know when the list will be updated and when we will get the kit.” The staff at various dispensaries and healthcare centres admitted to people coming to them for the kits.

When contacted, Civil Surgeon Dr Sukhjeevan Kakkar said rapid response teams had been constituted in every block, cities and villages to aid those in home isolation. He said the district had received 16,230 ‘Fateh Kits’ of which 4,784 had been distributed during this month.

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