Testing capacity to be increased : Soni

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 24

After a review meet with officials of the Health Deapartment and the district administration at Government Medical College on Monday, Medical Education and Research Minister Om Parkash Soni asked officials to increase testing capacity.

Soni said around 12,000 tests were being conducted at the GMC daily and the capacity would be increased to 15,000 tests. He said sample collection process would also be expedited for this purpose.

He said the state government was making all efforts to secure vaccination for residents. “Shortage of vaccination is throughout the country. We are trying to procure it from within India and abroad as well,” said Soni.

The minister said of 29 lakh residents of Amritsar district, around 3.5 lakh have been inoculated so far. He also issued instructions to officials to ensure proper arrangements at vaccination centres so that beneficiaries spend less time for their turn.

He said 147 health wellness centres, anganwadi workers, block development officials and rural panchayats were working in coordination. He said these centres would monitor health of residents closely and ensure that they get required medical help.

The medical college authorities raised the issue of problem faced by family members of healthcare workers who were being vaccinated on priority as the vaccination centre at the GMC had been closed. Soni asked officials concerned to come out with a solution.

He said number of Level-3 category patients at the GMC has gone down, which was a sign that severity of the virus was decreasing. He said as number of cases in rural areas were increasing, the government has shifted its focus towards rural belts.