Punjab: SGPC opens its third Covid centre in Kapurthala

SGPC’s third Covid Care Centre, with facility of 25-beds, became operational at the Royal Palace in Bholath, Kapurthala district on Wednesday.

The Sikh body has also ordered two oxygen generators worth Rs 2.5 crore that would allow it to add 70 more ICU beds at Amritsar.

The Bholath care centre was inaugurated by SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was accompanied by SGPC senior vice-president Surjit Singh Bhitewad.

This Covid Care Center has been attached to Sri Guru Ramdas Medical College and Hospital, Amritsar, and the institution’s eight doctors and 14 nursing staff would remain deputed here for 24 hours in different shifts.

Dr A P Singh, Dean, Sri Guru Ramdas University, said, “There is no help from Punjab government in running SGPC’s Covid centers. So far there is no coordination with the Punjab government. We have 9 patients at Alamgir in Ludhiana and 19 at Damdma Sahib. Both are Level-2 centers. We have 27 level-3 patients at Guru Ramdas Hospital at Amritsar.”

He added: “We have a quota of oxygen supply for hospital and we are getting 300 oxygen cylinders for Guru Ram Das Hospital in Amritsar and we are utilising this oxygen. We have oxygen for now. But we have ordered oxygen generators. These will generate 1,000 lt per minute oxygen. We are expecting to install these within next four weeks. We will install both generators at Amritsar. It would allow us to add more 70 ICU beds.”

Bibi Jagir Kaur said, “An oxygen plant has been set up by the SGPC at Sri Guru Ramdas Medical College, Amritsar, but there is a problem in getting liquid oxygen. An appeal has been made to the Government of India for this, but it has not been resolved yet. The necessary clearance has been obtained from the Center for this plant and an agreement has also been signed with INOX Air Products Company for oxygen. However, restrictions on access to liquid oxygen by the Government of India remain an obstacle. I appeal to the Centre to find an immediate solution so that the SGPC would not face any difficulty in rendering services during the dire period of Covid-19.”

Bibi Jagir Kaur added, “SGPC is making diligent efforts to procure Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from the United States and a letter was written for its approval and permission of use in India, to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.”