DW BUREAU / chandigarh To ensure the safety of pregnant women from the corona virus, the Health & Family Welfare Department imparted the special training to 70 Gynaecologist for providing tele-medicine consultations to pregnant women. Besides this, separate labor rooms are set up in all district hospitals to conduct the deliveries of COVID-19 positive pregnant women. Giving details in a press release, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that instructions have been issued to all Civil Surgeons to promote the tele-medicine consultations of Gynaecologist as well as general OPD services which are available on the eSanjeevani App. He said that now the app is easily available on android mobile, so there is no dependence on laptop/pc. Anyone can avail free services of online-consultations by using their mobile phones. It has proved as a boon for pregnant women who did not want to attend Normal OPD fearing the risk of contracting COVID-19. However, ANC programme has continuously remained functional in all HWCs/SCs since lockdown to ensure the services in rural areas. Sidhu said that a total number of 90,463 ANC registered from April to June, 2020 and 63,827 deliveries took place in the State.He further said that COVID-19 test is made mandatory during the third trimester of pregnancy under which 12,479 pregnant women tested for COVID-19 from April to June, out of which 118 were tested positive. He said 56 deliveries of COVID patients were conducted successfully in government facilities as 20 normal and 36 LSCS. He assured that no stone would be left unturned to ensure quality health services across the Punjab.The Minister said that Mother and Child Healthcare services continued unabated in state as our health care staff conducted safe deliveries and provided Antenatal care to Pregnant Women. Regular instructions were also being disseminated from state to All Districts on continuation of non-COVID essential services. The State Government has fixed the rates of private hospitals providing the treatment facilities to the corona patients and also instructed the private institutions to provide tertiary healthcare services to patients referred by the govt hospitals. About 53,000 Anganwari workers and helpers across the state are playing leading role in the 'Mission Fateh', the awareness campaign on Corona Prevention initiated by Punjab Government, informed Aruna Chaudhary, Minister of Social Security, Women and Child Development here today. As a result, they have won 31 gold and 133 silver badges so far under 'Mission Fateh.' Disclosing further, Chaudhary said that in total 27314 Anganwadi Centers of the state, 27295 Anganwari Workers and 26055 Helpers have been working hard by visiting door to door to protect the people from Coronavirus. She said that Anganwari workers have direct and easy access to the people, which makes it easier for them to create awareness amongst the people as compared to other departments. "Apart from sensitizing the ways of prevention of Corona, people were also encouraged to download the COVA app, developed by the state government, on their mobile phones so that the information and instructions issued by the health department would reach the people immediately and they could be informed well in advance about any nearby corona victim." (editor@dailyworld.in)