COVID-19: Manpower shortage trouble screening process at Mao gate
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, March 18 2020:
District Health Services, Senapati with assistance from the volunteers of Mao Students' Union (MSU), Song-Song Youth & Students' Organization, local Village Authority and Mao Town Committee screened all passengers coming from other States for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) at Mao gate today.
According to a report received from the MSU officials, over 1,200 passengers were screened till dark.
In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Senapati district, Marikho O'Lariina, president, Mao Students' Union sought the attention and intervention of the State Government to solve the crisis of manpower shortage in screening at Entry Point, Mao-Gate.
The Directorate of Health Services, Manipur had earlier initiated the screening process of COVID-19 at Manipur Entry Point at Mao-Gate on March 14, 2020, in collaboration with District Health Society.
Local villagers and Youth Club of Song-Song village under the banner of Mao Students' Union gave maximum cooperation & support in the screening process from morning till midnight.
On an average,1,300 persons are screened every day and upon evaluation of the screening process for 3 days, the student union suggested some points that need to be addressed at the earliest to curb the spread of COVID-19 and to expedite the screening process systematically.
There is a requirement for a restriction of entry timing at the border as it has become inconvenient for the screening process to be carried out 24x7.There is a shortage of medical staffs and professionals to systematically carry out the screening process.
Shortage of hand sanitizer, medical equipment, digital thermometer, medical gloves and necessary arrangement for the volunteers are also problems that need to be addressed.
The statement added that the above points had been fact-checked and placed before Department concerned to prevent the spread of pandemic COVID-19 in the State.