Chandigarh, May 8: The BJP on Saturday asked the Punjab government to ramp up health infrastructure to meet the impending third wave of Covid-19.

Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma said, “It is shocking that Punjab has not been able to curb its mortality rate which has reached alarming proportions.”

He said this has exposed the poor preparation of the state government to build the health infrastructure in the state. The BJP leader said the alarmingly poor health facilities stood starkly exposed in rural areas where 58 per cent deaths were being registered. He said of around 9,000 deaths in the state so far, 27 per cent were reported in the urban areas, while the rest happened in the rural areas.

He lambasted the Amarinder government for failing to mobilise adequate supplies of vaccination in the state.

He said it was a matter of serious concern that the government hospitals in the state have so far failed to kick-start the process of vaccinating people in 18-44 age group due to shortage of vaccine doses.

The state government has not only been insensitive to the healthcare facilities needed by the people but has also failed to utilise the assistance provided by the Centre, he charged.(UNI)