HEALTH MINISTER OBLIVIOUS TO SITUATION, SHOULD RESIGN, SAYS SAD

Expressing shock at the death of six patients in an Amritsar hospital due to shortage of medical oxygen, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday said Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu was oblivious to the situation developing in the state due to high incidence of Covid-19 and should put in his papers.

In a press statement, party leader Bikram Singh Majithia said, “The health minister is directly responsible for the deaths at Neelkanth hospital, Amritsar last night. He failed to do anything, be it ensuring upgrade of facilities in government hospitals, creating specialised care for Covid patients, increasing the ventilator count or creating more ICU (intensive care unit) facilities. He does not have the right to remain in office for even one more day. He should be dismissed with an immediate effect.”

Also, he asked chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to tell Punjabis why he was he not able to set his house in order despite advance warnings of the second pandemic wave and the need for more oxygen, ventilators and ICU facilities.

The former minister said the chief minister should order a high-level inquiry into the deaths.

“Also, he (chief minister) should give directions to the district administrations to ensure adequate availability of medical grade oxygen at all government and private hospitals across the state,” the Akali dal legislator from the Majitha constituency further said.