Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: Amid reports of Covid patients struggling to find beds and oxygen support in hospitals in the National Capital Region, including Gurugram and Noida, the hospitals in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh are witnessing an influx of Covid patients from Delhi. Sources said several patients from the NCR are now getting admitted in private hospitals in Chandigarh (Union Territory), Panchkula (Haryana), Mohali and Patiala (Punjab).
“In the last couple of days we are getting phone calls from family members of Covid patients in Delhi inquiring if beds are available in our hospital and when we say ‘yes’ they request us to reserve a bed. Then they drive all the way with the patient from Delhi as it takes about five hours,” said a staff member of a leading private hospital in Mohali.
A doctor at a private hospital in Panchkula said, “A few patients from Delhi have been admitted at our facility in the last few days as we cannot refuse any admission as long as beds are available.” Sources said that patients from the NCR have been admitted at a few private hospitals in Chandigarh and but not in government hospitals. The patients have given the addresses of their relatives or friends living in the city in order to show that they are locals and not from outside.
The Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala too saw patients from Delhi arriving for treatment. “These patients came from Delhi and got themselves admitted at our hospital for Covid treatment. They have relatives or friends here so they gave the local addresses to avoid any problem but told us they are from Delhi,” said a doctor adding, “They are just patients for us. They might belong to any place but we are here to treat them.”
“Many patients from Delhi and Haryana are getting Covid treatment at private hospitals of Punjab. Senior officials have been informed about this influx of patients from other states,” said an official with the state health department.
Meanwhile, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the state government is working on war-footing to impart quality treatment to Covid patients. “All such services are also being provided to patients coming from Delhi,” he added. Citing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s claim that he will assure of sharing the surplus resources of Delhi in future, the minister said Punjab is already providing all healthcare services to Delhiites.
Probe on as oxygen tanker goes ‘missing’An oxygen tanker carrying liquid oxygen from Panipat plant to Sirsa has allegedly been “stolen”. The Panipat Police on the complaint of Panipat district drug controller Vijaya Raje have registered a case under section 379 of Indian Penal Code against unknown persons. It is the second such incident of oxygen theft in the state recently. Earlier Haryana Home-cum-Health Minister Anil Vij had alleged that an oxygen tanker which was going from Panipat to Faridabad was allegedly “stolen” by officials of Delhi government.
