Chandigarh, May 7 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday directed Health Minister Balbir Sidhu and Medical Education Minister O.P. Soni to explore the possibility of providing chemotherapy to cancer patients at the Civil Hospital in Bathinda as the Cancer Hospital in the district is presently being utilised for Covid-19 patients.

The directive came during a Covid review meeting after the Health Minister raised concerns over the problems caused to cancer patients as a result of the Cancer Hospital being taken over as a Covid facility by the administration.

While endorsing the decision taken by the Chief Secretary to utilise the Cancer Hospital as a Covid facility in the absence of any other L3 facility in Bathinda city, the Chief Minister said that some alternative arrangement should be made for the cancer patients, who require regular pain management.

Earlier, Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan said that 25 beds at the Cancer Hospital had been taken over for Covid treatment, as the Bathinda AIIMS was not available for L3 treatment and there was no other such facility available to cater to southern Punjab with critical patients having to travel to Ludhiana or Patiala for treatment.

There are 40 cancer patients who visit the Cancer Hospital who are administered treatment in a completely separate area, with a separate entry and exit points, posing no risk to them on account of Covid.

The Chief Minister directed that steps should be taken to provide this treatment to cancer patients at the Civil Hospital to make more beds available for Level 3 Covid patients.