Health workers to be posted back in rural areas

Were deputed for Covid-related works after outbreak

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 4

As the healthcare in rural Punjab has crippled, the state government has sent community health workers back to village health wellness centres (HWCs).

With an aim to ensure delivery of comprehensive primary healthcare services, over the past three years, around 3,000 sub-centres covering a population of 3,000 to 5,000 were converted to health and wellness centres in the state.

After the Covid-19 breakout in March, the state had deputed more than 1,600 community health officers (CHOs) for Covid-related works, especially for the collection of samples.

Following engagement of CHOs in Covid work, the services in the rural areas had crippled. So the government has decided to make them join back at the centres. As per a communication sent to all civil surgeons on Tuesday, though the Covid duties assigned to the health officers remain important, it had been observed that the performance of HWCs was going down in terms of footfall and daily reporting. Tele-consultations had also shown a downward trend during the past month.

“In this regard, you are requested to kindly ensure that CHOs must attend their respective HWCs at least four days a week and do their routine work. Covid sampling duties may be assigned to all CHOs on a rotation basis so that the work of HWCs does not suffer,” it said.

Meanwhile, the state reported 527 cases and 14 deaths in the past 24 hours. As per the media bulletin, with the fresh cases, the total number of cases has reached 1,35,313 and the number of deaths has reached 4,259.

In the district-wise breakup of cases, Jalandhar topped the list with 81 cases, followed by Bathinda (69), SAS Nagar (53) and Fazilka (45).

Box

District-wise cases

Cases Confirmed Deaths

Ludhiana 20510 843

Jalandhar 15386 473

Patiala 12924 382

SAS Nagar 12580 238

Amritsar 11959 460

Gurdaspur 6935 200

Bathinda 7288 152

Hoshiarpur 6300 215

Ferozepur 4236 126

Pathankot 4494 115

Sangrur 3969 168

Kapurthala 4107 168

Faridkot 3273 58

Muktsar 3071 65

Fazilka 3134 51

Moga 2483 81

Ropar 2505 119

Fatehgarh Sahib 2177 102

Barnala 2082 52

Tarn Taran 2013 90

SBS Nagar 1935 65

Mansa 1952 36

Total 1,35,313 4259

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