In a good news, the vaccination for those aged 18-44 and having co-morbidites or are family members of healthcare workers, have started in district Ludhiana from today onwards. This vaccination drive was inaugurated by MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, MLA Surinder Dawar and Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma by visiting Pothohar Khalsa Senior Secondary School in Khud Mohalla, here today.While interacting with media persons on the occasion, MP Ravneet Singh Bittu said that this inoculation drive is only way to fight and overcome this virus at the earliest. He assured that there is no need to panic and soon, all people would be vaccinated in district Ludhiana. He said that depending on the supply of vaccine, more such camps would be organised in the district in coming days.MP Bittu said that there is neither shortage of beds or oxygen in district Ludhiana. He said that he personally met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and managed to get 4 more oxygen tankers for Punjab. He warned that if people fail to follow government directions regarding covid, then these oxygen tankers would not be enough as the number of cases would continue to rise. He said that the second wave is even deadlier and that is why, people should go out of their houses only when required.He also warned some of the private hospitals to not overcharge the patients and should have some fear of god. He said that the doctors of some private hospitals should listen to their conscience and should be more focussed on treating the patients and not for financial gains.
He warned that such doctors should not force the Punjab government for taking some strict decision.Bittu said that during his visit to government Urban Health Centre at Jawaddi, he was impressed to see a 4 month pregnant doctor performing her duty in Covid ward. “If such doctors can serve the patients without even thinking of their own health, then we also expect similar acts of selfless behaviour from doctors of private hospitals,” he added.MLA Surinder Dawar assured the residents that all people above 18 years of age would be vaccinated by the Punjab government so that we can fight this pandemic collectively.Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma informed that 24 such camps are being organised in district Ludhiana today and depending on the number of vaccines received, more such camps would be organised in the district in the coming days. He unequivocally said that though the fresh cases were coming up, the district administration was fully geared up to combat the pandemic and save the people from the scourge of this infection. He said that physical infrastructure for Covid patients was being upgraded on the modern lines to ensure that patients did not face any problems during their stay in the Covid care centres. He said that there was no dearth of funds for tackling this global pandemic and the major focus was only on saving the precious lives of people from the pandemic.Prominent among those present on the occasion included ADC (D) Sandeep Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police J Elanchezhian, Civil Surgeon Dr Kiran Ahluwalia Gill, besides several others.