COVID mock drill conducted across state
Fully prepared to face any emergency situation: Health Director
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 27 2022: Following instruction of the union government in light of the surging coronavirus cases globally, the state government, as done across the country, conducted COVID mock drills in all the districts oh Tuesday.

With exception to 29 PSA plants facing minor issues, the mock drill conducted across the state was a success.

Addressing media persons in this regard on Tuesday, health services director Dr Kh Sahheekumar Mangang informed that the state is fully geared to tackle any emergency with regard to COVID-19 .

"All infrastructures and preparations are ready for combating in case of any spike in coronavirus cases in the state".

The director further informed that the cases of the new Covid variant BF-7 have been reported in Gujarat and Orissa but there is no case of the same in the state so far.

However, considering the possibility of the variant spreading in the country, necessary precautionary measures have been taken up following instructions from the centre and the mock drill has been conducted.

Observing that the COVID pandemic tends to hit the western part of the country at the end and beginning of the year, Sasheekumar maintained that it (the pandemic) often reaches the state after a couple of months later.

"That is why the mock drill has been conducted to check the state s preparedness to deal with any spurt in Covid cases".

He also stated that mock drill was conducted in all the 16 districts and accordingly it has been confirmed that there is no lack of oxygen and all the districts are equipped with PSA plants.

"With exception to a few minor problems, everything is in their perfect order," he said.

While informing that the oxygen plants were installed by experts from other states unlike earlier times when the oxygen cylinders were procured from private entrepreneurs, and in absence of experts' involvement certain problems cropped up, the director disclosed that some of the oxygen plants in Imphal East, Jiribam, Noney and Senapati districts are not functioning properly.

There are altogether 20,000 oxygen cylinders in the state, he added.

He further informed that there are 124 ICU and 474 general beds in the state and the number of ambulances has been increased from 20 to 92 now in addition to ambulances that will be used from private firms as and when the need arises.

Director Sasheekumar, while asserting that COVID can be tackled, informed that almost all districts are equipped with RTPCR machines which will speed up in providing Covid test results to the public in addition to the TrueNat machines installed by many government and private hospitals and 1.5 lakh RAT kits available with the state government.

On Covid vaccination, the director said that 62.8 percent of the population has been vaccinated with first dose and another 52 percent administered the second dose.

However, the government has not been able to cover 30 percent of the population in providing booster doses.

He also stated that for Manipur there is enough stock of vaccines and the family welfare director has sent a written application demanding extra vaccines for the state.

"There is no stock of Covishield but only Covaxin vaccines in stock as of now".

Regarding testing of individuals coming from outside the state and foreign countries, the director said that as per the guidelines specified by the union government, only 2 percent on board international flights should be mandatorily tested.

As the number of individuals coming to the state is below 50 the rules cannot be applied and as such there is no test conducted for COVID in-spite of Imphal airport branded as an international airport.

Though there has been no Covid case since December 15, the government is yet to declare Manipur as Covid free-state as there is the need to study the situation for some more time, Sasheekumar said, while adding that the government will soon issue an advisory regarding the protocols to be followed.

He also said that the government is planning to recruit 300 nurses and 200 doctors by January 20 next and as such there will be no shortage of manpower to deal with the pandemic.

A total of 45,000 PEP kits are also available with the state, he added.

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