Need to scale down domestic flights to contain COVID-19: Punjab Health Minister

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Friday said that domestic flights need to be scaled down, especially from Mumbai and Ahmedabad where higher numbers of COVID-19 cases have been reported.

Presiding over the review meeting of the Health Department here, Sidhu said that most of the cases reported in Punjab have the travelling history from other States and countries.

"I will discuss the key issue with the Chief Minister in the Cabinet meeting to be held tomorrow," said the Health Minister.

The minister also issued the instructions to ensure the maximum sampling of passengers to trace the affected persons. He said that 40 instances have occurred in the patients over 50 years, and almost all were afflicted with underlying illnesses like end-stage kidney disease and cancer, HIV, besides uncontrolled diabetes and high blood pressure.

He also said that thorough audit of all deaths would be conducted to further control the death rate in Punjab.

Sidhu instructed the Director of Health Services Dr Avneet Kaur to table the file of vacant posts of medical and paramedical staff that would be put up in the next Cabinet meeting to overcome the shortage of staff.

Reviewing the immunisation programme, the minister stressed the meeting to ensure 100 per cent immunisation of children so as to protect them from common diseases.

He directed Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Dr Prabhdeep Kaur Johal to expedite the immunisation programme and the State level teams to be sent to the districts where immunisation rate is very low.

To achieve the 100 institutional deliveries, he said that the functioning of Mother and Child Health Care and government hospitals would be reviewed on a daily basis.

Considering the present circumstances, all training sessions will be orgsed at the district level or imparted through the telecommunication, added Sidhu.

( With inputs from ANI )