MPCC questions Govt on oxygen crisis, Covid issues
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 15 2021:
The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei, through a virtual press briefing, posed 21 questions to the State Government on 'oxygen crisis, shortage of ambu-lances, non-functioning of ICU beds in district hospitals,' vaccination duration and preparedness for the third wave of Covid pandemic.
The spokesperson expressed that it was unfortunate for the BJP spokesperson to blame the public and Congress for the Covid mess in the State.
Taking into consideration the rapid surge of Covid cases and fatalities in the State since the past few weeks, Bupenda asked what is the oxygen (Liquid Medical Oxygen in MT) allocation for Manipur from the central pool and what is the projected demand of oxygen for Manipur.
He also asked about the quantity of oxygen required per day in Manipur and the buffer stocks of oxygen available for emergency.
Further quizzing if Oxygen Express train will reach Jiribam and when will oxygen supply reach Covid patients in home isolation, the spokesperson inquired about the quantities (in metric tonnes) of oxygen available in current stocks, average daily consumption, storage capacity for re-fillers etc.
What will be the compensation from the State Government to the families of Covid patients who died due to oxygen shortage and what is the status report of Black Fungus (mucormycosis) cases in Manipur?, Bupenda asked and sought an answer for the daily oxygen demands and the number of functioning Government ambulances availa- ble in districts of Manipur.
Quizzing how many district hospitals have functional ICU facilities equipped with ventilators and sufficient doctors & staff to treat covid patients, the Congress leader also inquired about the amount of money released by the State Government to buy pulse oximeters and medicines for distribution to the home isolation Covid patients free of cost.
He also asked about the number of days the Government is planning to carry out the free Covid vaccination drive for those between 18 and 45years in every district of Manipur.
How long will the State Government take to vaccinate all the eligible population in Manipur and what are the results of the genomic sequencing of Covid samples sent from Manipur?, Bupenda inquired and raised a question if permanent recruitment of medical staff to combat the second wave of Covid pandemic is not feasible.
Stating that a common man will not know where beds fully equipped with ventilators and ICUs are available in the district and private hospitals of the State, the Congress leader asserted, "Where is the functioning dashboard on a real-time basis, operated by war room to combat the second wave of Covid pandemic in Manipur?" Asking how much percentage of State GDP has been utilised to combat the second wave of pandemic and how many crores of rupees have been released from the State exchequer so far, Bupenda also questioned about the steps being taken up to prevent the third wave of Covid pandemic by the State Government? .
The Congress spokesperson, on the other hand, shared that MPCC president K Govindas and Wangkhem Assembly Constituency MLA K Meghachandra had donated one ambulance each for their respective constituencies.
Raising concerns over the increasing Covid positivity and death rate in the State, he stressed the need for having an RT-PCR test facility in each district hospital.