CM assesses COVID situation in hill districts, assures assistance
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, May 24 2021: Chief Minister N Biren Singh visited Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong districts by helicopter to take stock of the COVID-19 situation in these three districts on Monday.

The CM was accompanied by his advisor (health) Dr S Ranjan, principal secretary (health) V Vumlunmang and secretary N Geoffrey.

The Chief Minister started from Kangla helipad at around 10:30 am and landed at Ukhrul at around 11 am.

At the Mini Secretariat complex of the district, he reviewed the measures taken up by the state government regarding the fight against the pandemic in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.

Speaking during the review meeting, N Biren informed that TK Woodland Tourist Resort located at Shirui would be converted into a 75-bedded COVID Hospital having 10 ventilators.

Advocating the slogan, 'Early Detection, Early Treatment', CM Biren urged the people not to panic and immediately report and get tested at the nearest centre if they experience any suspicious symptom as it can be cured in just 14 days.

He said that the government is stretching to its maximum limit to help the citizens in order to save precious lives in every nook and corner of the state.

The government, in its effort, has ensured that one oxygen plant for every district will be established very soon, he said.

The Chief Minister further stated that three ambulances each for every district are in the pipeline.

CM assesses COVID situation in hill districts, assures assistance :: Pix - DIPR

The Health Department in the district, in consultation with the Deputy Commissioners concerned, has been empowered to engage required doctors, nurses and other staff on contract basis if required.

He also appreciated the collective efforts of the people of Ukhrul and Kamjong districts, CSOs and medical staff to tackle COVID 19 pandemic.

The state government has arranged adequate RAT testing kits and will supply to the districts immediately, he added.

Saying that the state government has taken several steps to ensure adequate oxygen supply, the Chief Minister advised the district administration and CMOs to send empty cylinders immediately for refilling.

The state government had approved a 1000 LPM PSA Oxygen Generator Plant for Ukhrul through Tribal Affairs and Hill Department.

Site has been identified at the district hospital and work will start soon, he said, adding that three more ambulances would also be provided through the Tribal Affairs Department.

Later, the Chief Minister visited a COVID Care Centre and encouraged the patients to be confident to defeat the virus.

Ukhrul CMO Dr AS Kapangring, in his presentation, stated that the total number of persons, comprising health workers, frontline workers and commoners, vaccinated in the district is 10,656.The cumulative number of positive cases is 342 out of which 115 are active now and 216 have recovered, 18 were referred to JNIMS and 9 deaths.

The Transit Hostel which has a capacity of 120 beds and Isolation Ward at Ukhrul District Hospital are utilised as COVID Care Centres.

Hill Areas Committee chairman K Leishiyo, MLAs Kanngam Alfred Arthur and Khashim Vashum, DCs, SPs, DLOs and CSO leaders also attended the meeting.

Giving the rationale for his visit, he said that he came to share the Government's concerns with the Tangkhul community who are faced with the raging Covid pandemic.

"Today, we are here to say we are with you during these trying times," he said amid thunderous applause.

Calling Covid-19 disease as an unseen enemy, CM Biren also offered profound condolences to the deceased and their families and assured government assistance to those households whose lives are left in a precarious state by such loss due to Covid-19.Expressing concern over the rising curve of positivity across the state, CM Biren blamed it on failure on the part of the people to report until they are in critical conditions or experience breathlessness.

Deviating from his topic, he assured that there was no need to worry about oxygen anymore and thousands of oxygen cylinders are ready for use.

He, nevertheless, urged the district administrations to be alert and go for refill once emptied.

He further disclosed that three ambulance vehicles each would be provided to each district.

Taking cognizance of the acute shortage of manpower in the hill districts, CM Biren also announced that the government has endorsed each district administration to make need based appointments by assigning any available local doctors and nurses as per government rules.

Speaking on the occasion, TNL president Hopingson A Shimray informed that the civil society of Tangkhul community under TNL have been working in coordination with the district administrations of Ukhrul and Kamjong in the fight against the Covid pandemic.

He said that the CSOs have been enforcing a district wide lockdown in consultation with relevant authorities and villages to contain the spread of the contagion.

Later, CM Biren proceeded to the Transit CCC at Phun-greitang and interacted with the inmates from a distance.

He assured them the government was with them and wished them all a speedy recovery.

From there, the Chief Minister and his team left for Senapati.

In the review meeting held there, the Chief Minister assured that people can overcome the pandemic with early detection and early medication.

It is the only way to prevent and overcome it, he pointed out.

N Biren said that house to house inspection would be done to check whether people in home isolation have required amenities like separate rooms and toilets.

He said that an oxygen plant having a capacity of producing 200 cylinders per day would be set up in the district soon.

Three more ambulances would be provided soon out of which one was handed over on Monday.

10 oxygen concentrators were also handed over to the Chief Medical Officer of the district.

The Chief Minister also asked the DC and CMO to engage required doctors from among eligible candidates in view of manpower shortage in the district.

Later, he interacted with doctors in the district COVID ward and some COVID patients at the isolation ward.

He said that 246-bedded COVID Care Centre had been set up in the district.

Isolation Ward at District Hospital would be increased from 15 beds to 37 beds, including 10 ICU beds.

More ventilators and ICU Monitor will be provided, he added.

The Chief Minister appreciated the plan to set up COVID OT for maternity deliveries and the identification of teams for 119 Village Task Force.

N Biren Singh assured that three more ambulances would be provided through Tribal Affairs & Hills Department.

Also, a 1000 LPM PSA oxygen plant has been approved for Senapati.

Public Health Engineering Minister L Dikho called the CM's visit to the district as a very important one.

While lauding the District Administration and frontline workers for their dedicated service, the Minister, who is also the district in-charge, said that the three MLAs of the district are also doing their best with whatever resources they have for the welfare of the people.

Senapati DC Mahesh Chaudhari, SP M Pradip Singh and Naga People's Organisation president Solomon Arow also attended the event and presented a detailed account of the pandemic situation in the district and stressed the need for addressing shortages of manpower and other basic requirements to tackle the pandemic.

From Senapati, N Biren proceeded to Tamenglong district where he interacted with the COVID -19 District Task Force Committee, CSO and NGO leaders and reviewed the COVID-19 situation at DC Bungalow.

As vaccination is very important, mobile mass vaccination programme would start very soon to combat the pandemic, the Chief Minister said.

An oxygen plant with a capacity to refill 100 cylinders per day would be set up very soon in the district and the oxygen plant which was set up in JNIMS also would be inaugurated soon, he stated.

The Chief Minister also instructed the CMO and the health workers to take an utmost care of COVID patients who are in home isolation as they have the maximum chance of spreading.

He also reminded them to visit often and monitor their oxygen level and check their medicines so that they recover soon.

The Chief Minister was happy to see Tamenglong district being well ahead in mass vaccination and testing.

As per the report from CMO, Tamenglong recovery rate currently stands at 94.20 percent.

Nearly 26,275 sample tests have been conducted in Tamenglong district so far, while 5,953 people have been vaccinated with first dose and 1,915 with the second dose.

So far, seven people from the district have succumbed to Covid-19.The Chief Minister also handed over 10 oxygen concentrators to Tamenglong CMO, and he also assured to provide a vehicle for CMO.

During his brief stay at the district headquarters, he along with officials visited the office of CMO and gave green signal to construct a new building.

Joint Four Tribes Council of Zeme Naga Council, Rongmei Naga Council, Liangmai Naga Council and Inpui Naga Union expressed their sincere gratitude to the Chief Minister and also to the district administration.

Forest Environment and Climate Change Minister Awangbow Newmai, Hill Areas Committee Chairman K Leishiyo, advisor to CM (health) Dr S Ranjan and principal secretary (health) V Vumlungmang, DC, SP and DLOs also attended the review meeting.