All Covid ICU beds occupied, 50% by Punjab patients: PGI

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 7

The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) today issued a clarification on a statement issued by the Punjab Health Department citing that the health institute was refusing to admit patients from Punjab, despite being referred to it through proper channel.

Capt Amarinder Singh stated that he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister at a video conference and would request him to direct the PGI to reserve at least 50 ICU beds for patients referred by the state government.

The institute has clarified that it admitted only severe and critically ill Covid patients in the NHE Covid Block. At present, 50 per cent of the total 166 patients admitted to the PGI, belong to Punjab.

878 senior citizens jabbed in Mohali

• As many as 878 senior citizens and 1,316 in the age group of 45 to 59 years with comorbidities were administered the first shot of the Covid vaccine in Mohali on Wednesday. Besides, 131 and 67 persons were given the second shot in the senior citizens and the 45-59 age group categories, respectively.
• In the healthcare workers’ category, 11 were given the first shot while 60 were administered the second dose. Similarly, 30 frontline workers were given the first shot and 70 the second.
• A total of 28,347 senior citizens and 12,651 persons aged 45 to 59 have been jabbed in the district so far. At least 10, 029 health workers have been given the first shot and 4,382 the second. Similarly, 11,436 frontline workers have got the first shot and 3,012 the second.

All ICU beds in the Covid Block are full and 50 per cent of these are occupied by patients from Punjab.

On an influx of patients from Punjab, the PGI stated that patients arriving at any of the emergencies of the hospital were attended to and provided medical care irrespective of their domicile.

“In fact, the annual census of the PGI for the year 2020 depicted that it provided tertiary-level medical care to more than five states, with the proportion of Punjab being the highest,” the statement reads.