Malfunctioning ventilators, sub-par containment measures: Gaps found in Covid management in three states, says Centre

By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Covid-appropriate behaviour was not strictly adhered to in Maharashtra, Punjab and Chhattisgarh, central teams have observed after a visit earlier this week to review the situation in these states. These teams were designated by the Centre to visit 50 most-affected districts in Maharashtra (30), Chhattisgarh (11) and Punjab (9). 

Incidentally, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are among the five states that account for 70.82 per cent of India’s active cases.

Also, Maharashtra accounted for the highest daily new cases of 55,411, Chhattisgarh came second with a tally of 14,098. 

The Centre has taken note of issues related to vaccine availability, and required action to augment supplies will be taken based on available stock, the health ministry said in a letter to these states.

Maharashtra had earlier accused the Centre of step-motherly treatment when it came to allocation of Covid vaccines.

Malfunctioning of ventilators was reported from Satara and Latur in Maharashtra.

Surveillance and contact tracing were sub-optimal in Buldhana, Satara, Aurgangabad and Nanded, mostly due to limited manpower. 

Testing capacity in Satara, Bhandara, Palghar, Amravwati, Jalna and Latur is already overwhelmed resulting in delay in test result, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in the letter.

Acute shortage of healthcare workforce was reported from Aurangabad, Nandurabar, Yawatmal, Satara, Palghar, Jalgoan and Jalna, it added.

In Punjab, contact tracing and surveillance in SAS Nagar are being hampered due to shortage of manpower for which additional workforce must be deployed, Bhushan wrote.

Moreover, SAS Nagar and Rupnagar have  no dedicated Covid hospital forcing health staff to refer patients either to neighbouring districts or Chandigarh, it said.

When it came to Chhattisgarh, the central review teams took note of resistance including even attacks on health workers, to containment activities and testing was reported from Dhaneli.

Healthcare workforce

Acute shortage of healthcare workforce was reported from Aurangabad, Nandurabar, Yawatmal, Satara, Palghar, Jalgoan and Jalna, it said.