Uttar Pradesh: Ballia CMO dies of Covid-19 at Lucknow 's SGPGI

VARANASI: The chief medical officer (CMO) of Ballia, Dr Jitendra Pal, who had tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to Sanjay Gandhi PostGraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow on December 29, died on Monday.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mourned the CMO’s death and conveyed his condolences to his family.
Dr Pal, 59, had tested positive for Covid-19 on December 26, 2020. He was shifted to SGPGIMS from Ballia in an advanced life support ambulance on December 29 as he developed severe breathlessness.
“Dr Pal also had diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.Right from admission, he was given oxygen by Bipap machine. As his condition continued to deteriorate, he was put on full mechanical ventilation on January 2, but he succumbed at 7am on Monday,” stated SGPGI bulletin.
The news of Dr Pal’s demise stunned health officials and staff in Ballia. A condolence meet was held at the district hospital where minister Anand Swaroop Shukla, district magistrate Hari Pratap Shahi, chief development officer Vipin Kumar Jain and other officials paid floral tributes to him.
DM Ballia recalled Dr Pal’s contribution in controlling Covid-19 spread in the district. “The cases were rising in the district, but under Dr Pal’s supervision the recovery rate increased and mortality rate was reduced,” said Shahi.
Dr Pal, a native of Sant Kabirnagar, had served as senior consultant in Gorakhpur for many years and was posted as CMO for the first time. He is survived by a daughter and a son, who is doing his postgraduation after completing MBBS.
Dr Pal’s sample was collected on December 25 and sent to BHU lab in Varanasi, said officials. He tested positive and was asked to isolate himself immediately. Two persons who came in his contact also tested positive but have recovered.
Meanwhile, a district coordinator (mid-day meal) of Ballia also tested positive after which the basic education office, where training of 800 newly recruited teachers is going on, was closed for two days for proper sanitization on the orders of DM Ballia.