Civil Surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga, however, has issued show cause notice to DMCH asking them to explain within 2 days as to why the patient was referred to civil hospital. (Representational)

The Punjab health department Sunday issued showcause notice to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) after a 49-year-old patient, who was referred from there to Ludhiaan Civil Hospital died Friday night. The family alleged that they had taken the patient to civil hospital after DMCH stated that they had a shortage of beds. In civil hospital, he could not get a ventilator.

Varinder Kumar Sharma, DC Ludhiana said, “Civil Surgeon is conducting an inquiry in this matter.”

Civil Surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga, however, has issued show cause notice to DMCH asking them to explain within 2 days as to why the patient was referred to civil hospital.

In Ludhiana, there are a total 350 isolation beds at the government facility out of which 297 are occupied and only 53 are available for new patients while in private hospital, out of total 313 isolation beds meant for Covid patients, 210 have been occupied and 102 are available. All 313 beds in private hospitals are for tertiary care patients.

With the number of patients increasing each day, Ludhiana administration has asked even hotels to offer their rooms, which can be used for Covid patients. Administration has categorically advised mild patients not to block beds in tertiary care hospitals.

Ludhiana has two medical colleges and a number of tertiary care hospitals but as per record, only 31 ventilators have been earmarked for Covid patients out of which four are are at DMCH for the time being. Government pays DMCH charges for the patients referred to these four ventilator beds.

Covid patients can be cremated at any crematorium

The Ludhiana DC Sunday said that family members can cremate bodies of their Covid-19 patients at any cremation ground they deem fit as per their own religious beliefs.

On Saturday, a patient’s relative had complained that his relative died Friday and he will be cremated Monday because of a waiting list at Ramgarhia crematorium ground located near Dholewal Military Complex.

The DC, however, said that all bodies have been cremated and there was no waiting list as of now.

Till now, bodies of Covid patients were being cremated at Ramgarhia’s LPG crematorium only on the outskirts of the city. This was done after repeated incidents of protests at different grounds over cremation of Covid patients.

In a press statement, Sharma said that as per the protocol, all necessary precautions must be taken while cremating the bodies. There is no mandatory requirement to use either an LPG fuelled or electric crematorium for cremating such bodies.