Punjab launches special covid helpline number 18001804104 for advice on medical, stress and anxiety related issues

Chandigarh: To effectively address and resolve medical and stress related issues during lockdown, the Government of Punjab on Monday launched a special helpline 1800 180 4104 for citizens to connect with a network of senior doctors over tele-conference and get medical advice on covid-19 and other related concerns.
 
Over 1800 senior doctors have been empanalled through the IMC for this purpose who have been duly trained  about the platform, its protocol and functionalities, disclosed Additional Chief Secretary Department of Governance Reforms and Public Grievances Vini Mahajan.
 
Underlining the importance of the helpline, Vini Mahajan said that an intelligent Coronavirus triaging system has been developed to identify and prioritise cases for emergency medical attention. This system shall also help identify cases for isolation, home quarantine and those who require medical attention. The cases shall be notified to the government for further tracking and action, she added.
 
The helpline has been conceptualised by the Department of Governance Reforms & Public Grievances and is being implemented with the State COVID19 Control Room, Government of Punjab (SCCR) and the India Medical Association (IMA), Punjab State Branch. This feature has also been added to the COVA Punjab mobile application available on Android PlayStore and IOS AppStore.
 
There is unrest among citizens due to the inability to reach doctors in non-emergency cases amid the lockdown. Getting professional medical advice from doctors shall help people understand their own symptoms and act accordingly in the best interest of themselves and their families, she added.
 
The bigger plus would be that the technology shall be helpful to the poorer sections in the society in getting access to quality medical advice and treatment amid the curfew, Vini Mahajan further said. 
 
Describing the working of the helpline, she said the incoming calls would be first answered by an IVR. This IVR shall filter the calls based upon the type of assistance required and those requiring medical advice on COVID or other health related issues shall be asked for more information such as recent travel history and symptoms. This information shall be shared with the network of IMA doctors and the citizen shall receive a call-back from a registered doctor who shall further listen to the patient’s condition and advise on treatment, precautions and other consequent actions.
 
Doctors under IMA Punjab have also committed to volunteer amid this pandemic and assist with the situation.
 
The citizens shall be advised on concerns regarding COVID as well as other health issues since it may be difficult for citizens to seek and access professional medical advice amid the lockdown. IMA shall take all efforts to calm the panic and provide the citizens with quality treatment and medical consultation, President IMA Punjab Dr. Navjot Dahyia has said.
 

MANDI BOARD & MARKET COMMITTEES EMPLOYEES TO CONTRIBUTE ONE DAY’s SALARY NEARLY ONE CRORE TO CM COVID RELIEF FUND
Chandigarh: The serving and retired employees of Punjab Mandi Board and Market Committees on Monday decided to contribute their one day’s salary, nearly Rs One crore, in the Chief Minister’s COVID Relief Fund. 
Disclosing this here today, Chairman Punjab Mandi Board Lal Singh said that the Marketing and Engineering Wings of Mandi Board and all working & retired employees of Market Committees would give one day’s salary for the help of those, whose employment and livelihood had badly affected amid curfew/lockdown due to COVID-19. 
Giving a major relief to those arthiyas, whose licenses are expiring on March 31, 2020, the Chairman has also announced that these licenses would remain valid till the wheat procurement operations in the state as the license holders could not get these renewed due to curfew/lockdown. He said that the arthiyas would do their work as usual for the facilitation of farmers besides ensuring smooth and seamless procurement operations during Rabi Marketing Season. 
The Chairman also announced that the arthiyas concerned could get their licenses renewed during procurement operations without any late fee.
Highly appreciating the initiatives being taken by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to contain this deadly disease, the Chairman said that with the effective decisions the State Government would certainly control the spread of Corona Virus. He further pointed out that the timely decisions of the Chief Minister had ensured a big relief for state in controlling spread of disease. 
The Chairman also thanked and lauded the decision of Mandi Board and Market Committee employees to contribute their one day’s salary in the Chief Minister’s COVID Relief Fund. S. Lal Singh also commended the Mandi Board employees, who were working tirelessly and firm commitment to provide essential commodities to the needy people across the state in this difficult time.

EDUCATION MINISTER DIRECTS OFFICIALS TO OPEN SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR SHELTER OF MIGRANT LABOURERS
Chandigarh: Punjab education minister Mr. Vijay Inder Singla, on Monday, directed the education department officials to open school buildings to provide shelter for the migrant laborer who have been left stranded due to coronavirus. He added that the education secretary have been asked to convey the directions to all district education officers to made the arrangements accordingly. The cabinet minister said that local district administration would provide them food and other arrangements for their short stay in schools.
The cabinet minister also informed that the board examinations of 8th, 10th and 12th classes which were scheduled from April 1 onwards. The cabinet minister informed earlier the examinations till March 31 were postponed by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) but some of the practical exams of class 8th and theoretical exams of 10+2 were scheduled from April 1. He added that the examinations have been postponed due to the lockdown enforced in the state in view of coronavirus disease.
Mr. Vijay Inder Singla said that apart from class 8th and 10+2, some theoretical examinations of 10th which were scheduled from April 03 onwards have also been postponed with immediate effect. The cabinet minister said that the amended datesheet for these examinations will be issued immediately after the situation gets normalised.
Mr. Singla  said that the education department has also put recruitment process of ETT teachers on hold till April 15, 2020. He added that the posts of Hindi, Punjabi, mathematics, social studies, English and science subject teachers under border cadre category were to be filled under this process to provide quality education to the children of border areas.