Ward-wise vaccination drive on cards: Punjab Health Minister

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 16

Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu today said the Punjab Government was taking appropriate measures to cover every citizen in the ambit of Covid vaccination and the drive had been running in full swing in rural as well as urban areas of the state.

He said till now, of the 5,98,060 Covaxin doses received from the Government of India (GoI), around 4,90,041 had been utilised. From the state’s purchase quota of around 1,50,850 Covaxin doses, 66,032 had been administered. On the same pattern, of the 48,16,580 Covidshield vaccine provided by the GoI, 46,43,786 had been used; and of the purchased 5,86,000 doses, 5,30,603 had been successfully administered till June 13. He said a total of 58,15,339 persons under different categories had been vaccinated till now.

The vaccination in the age group of 18-44 years had been expanded to include students studying abroad, foreign employed persons, shopkeepers, workers of hospitality industry, delivery boys, etc. The vaccination campaign would be conducted ward and village wise.

The Health Minister said the positivity rate between May 17 and June 12 in rural and urban areas remained almost same at 4.4 per cent. Urban areas with industries or high population, like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Mohali and Bathinda, reported more Covid cases than rural areas. Villages in small districts such as Ropar, Mansa and Muktsar had high number of Covid cases. Last week, all districts logged positivity of less than 5 per cent.

The statics from January to April indicated that this year, population between 21 and 40 years had been affected higher than those in other age groups, he said. Sidhu added the case fatality rate (CFR) remained high in rural areas than urban areas in the same period. The trend reversed after mid-May 2021. He said, therefore, all eligible persons needed to get vaccinated to reduce the CFR. He said all Civil Surgeons had been directed to step up the vaccination drive.

‘Don’t stop treatment under health scheme’

• The Health Minister has told all empanelled private hospitals that the treatment or e-card of the entitled beneficiary under the Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana shall not be stalled
• He said in case of any anomalies in the e-card of the beneficiary, the same shall be corrected only after the treatment of the patient