Patients in CCCs, families facing inconveniences
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 09 2021:
Amid the efforts being made to provide medical treatment to symptomatic Covid-19 patients in addition to beefing up precautionary measures in the state, it is equally important to assess the status of asymptomatic patients staying at various Covid Care Centres (CCCs) in the state.
The situation is more difficult for families of the infected persons as they are responsible for bringing the food for their loved ones at the centres.
The state government has been more careful and proactive during the ongoing second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Doctors are also regularly checking the vitals of the patients at the centres.
However, as the centres are not responsible for the meals of the patients, unlike last time, the affected families have been providing food daily, which in turn is causing huge inconveniences to both the patients and the respective families.
One such CCC is the one opened at RD wing in Lamphel, Imphal West, which currently has 70 inmates.
According to some of the inmates, although they are being monitored closely by the doctors, their families have to buy the required medicines and bring them to the centre.
On top of this, the curfew being imposed in seven districts of the state is not making it any easier for their families, who are also bringing them food and drinking water daily, none of which is provided at the centre.
Considering the "severity" of the second wave, there is palpable fear among all concerned.
Some, whose families cannot bring food for them, have no choice but to cook food at the centre with whatever materials they can find.
As all of them are stuck at the centre until they are fully cured, they expressed the wish for the centre to provide food so that the inmates could eat together without worrying when their next meal will come.
The inmates further highlighted the absence of a waste disposal system in the centre, causing garbage to pile up in the centre.
As they cannot dump the garbage anywhere, there is concern amongst the inmates whether the unhygienic conditions could lead to spread of other diseases.
Meanwhile, a Covid-19 positive person admitted at the CCC set up in Bal Bhawan, Khuman Lampak conveyed to The People's Chronicle that they are also facing the same issues i.e., their families are the ones bringing them food and water as the centre is not providing any.
The food items that are brought in are kept inside a room from 8 am till noon.
The inmates have to queue up to take the food and the wait takes hours.
Because of this system, they get the food around noon, by which time it is already cold.
The doctors posted at the centre are performing their duties accordingly.
However, the families of the inmates are responsible for buying the medicines and bringing them to the centre.
Piling up of garbage is also a cause of concern.
There is no designated area for dumping the garbage and as such, the garbage is piled up inside the rooms, thereby raising concerns of its effect on their health.
As such, the government needs to look into this matter at the earliest and provide the same amenities to the centres as provided during the first wave.