MEA asks State to submit proposal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 25 2020: After the Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS), Manipur approached the Government of Japan recently for assistance to help the State fight COVID-19, the Ministry of External Affairs has asked the State to submit a proposal to avail the same.

It may be noted that AIMS approached the Government of Japan through its Embassy in New Delhi recently asking for aids.

Giving the green signal, the Government of Japan had then asked AIMS to approach through diplomatic channels.

Following this, State Health Minister L Jayantakumar approached the Minister of External Affairs, Government of India, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

MP Dr Lorho S Pfoze had also sent a letter to the MEA in this regard, said a statement of AIMS today.

Responding to the requests, the MEA said that it was discussing with the Government of Japan, a 'Programme Loan for Health Sector as part of Japanese Official Developmental Assistance and Grant-in-aid' for strengthening the efforts against COVID-19 and also asked Manipur Government to submit a proposal to the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.

It may be recalled that Dr Atom Sunil Singh, director AIMS had first approached the Japanese authorities when the first COVID-19 case in Northeast India was detected in March.

The aids which were requested by the NGO included
1) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, goggles, gowns, hand sanitizer, soap, water, etc;
2) Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) such as ventilators, medicines and equipment;
3) PCR or latest diagnosis kits;
4) Possible medicine like "Favipiravir" (Avigan) developed by Toyama Chemical of Japan;
5) Construction of special hospital for COVID-19 treatment;
6) Construction of separate quarantine and isolation centres etc.

AIMS was also seeking financial support for supplying water regularly for daily use and drinking; essential commodities such as rice, pulses, edible oil, etc and also COVID-19 expert nurses and doctors from Japan.

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