By PTI
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Monday said it has decided to allow the distribution of oxygen concentrators to COVID-19 patients after they are discharged from hospitals for use at home.
However, this does not apply to patients in home isolation, it said.
Punjab’s COVID-19 caseload stands at 5,43,475 while the disease has claimed 13,468 lives in the state, according to official data.
So far, 4,75,011 people have recovered from COVID-19 in the state, with 6,803 recoveries recorded the previous day, the data showed.
District authorities have been allowed to issue oxygen concentrators to those patients who require low oxygen assistance for a few days after they are discharged from hospitals, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said in a statement here.
However, these guidelines do not apply to patients in home isolation as such patients who need oxygen supplementation should be brought to the hospital for comprehensive care, he said.
Oxygen continuation will be permitted to patients after being discharged from hospitals only on the advice of the doctor or hospital.
Monitoring and care of such patients will be the responsibility of the treating doctor or hospital, he added.
Sidhu said patients will be issued an oxygen concentrator with a capacity of up to 5 litres per minute after taking a self-declaration or an undertaking from the patient or attendant.
These will be issued for a maximum of four weeks and a refundable security deposit will be taken for the same.
He also said that the state government is taking all necessary steps to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen in hospitals.