CM Biren vows quality healthcare service to all
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, August 10 2021: In a major step to develop healthcare infrastructure and to ensure adequate supply of medical oxygen throughout the state, chief minister N Biren on Tuesday inaugurated a 20 kilolitre (KL) Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) Plant installed at Veterinary Complex, Porompat and a PSA Oxygen Plant at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal.

The CM also inaugurated a Cattle Feed Plant of Manipur Milk Producers' Co-operative Union Limited being set up at the Veterinary Complex, Porompat.

A solemn function was organised by Directorate of Health Services in connection with the inauguration of the Oxygen Plant at the Veterinary Complex which was also attended by Veterinary and Animal Husbandry minister Oinam Lukhoi, advisor to chief minister (Health) Dr Sapam Ranjan and Loktak Development Authority chairman L Susindro.

Addressing the gathering, CM Biren informed that the LMO Plant is the first state-owned and largest among such plants in the Northeast.

He appreciated the officials of Health Department, Imphal East district administration andother stakeholders for their tireless efforts in the successful installation of the plant.

Recalling the situation in the beginning of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic when the state had only two oxygen plants and few cylinders, he conceded that the government as faced extreme hardships in procuring oxygen cylinders and medical oxygen from outside the state.

It was only through the unceasing efforts of all the officials that the state has now set up numerous oxygen plants in various parts of the state and also has sufficient numbers of oxygen cylinders, he added.

The CM further informed that the government had decided to recruit manpower and train them with expert knowledge for operating the newly installed oxygen plants in the state.

To facilitate treatment of COVID-19 positive patients, another 20 ICU beds had been added to the existing beds in JNIMS, he added.

Maintaining that state government is committed to provide quality health care service to all sections of people, he stated that people of the state could now avail the benefits of getting quality medicine at affordable price under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana through its exclusive outlets.

He also appealed to the public to strictly observe COVID Appropriate Behaviours although the government had lifted the curfew imposed earlier and also urged to get vaccinated at the earliest.

He expressed hope that the state would be able to contain the pandemic soon with all the initiatives taken up with the cooperation of the people.

Regarding the newly inaugurated Cattle Feed Plant, he stressed on the need to produce most of the required animal feed in the state itself and urged the officials to perform their duties with sincerity and commitment and to ensure proper maintenance of the machines installed in the plant.

Speaking at the event, minister Oinam Lukhoi maintained that the state government under the leadership of N Biren had taken up all necessary measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Seeking continuous cooperation and support of the people in the government's effort to fight the deadly virus, he appealed to the public to strictly observe COVID Appropriate Behaviour and SOPs.

Appreciating the chief minister for his timely initiative to set up several oxygen plants across the state, Dr Sapam Ranjan cautioned the public to be careful with the pandemic as genome sequencing of samples showed that almost all the samples tested are of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

He also stated that the pandemic is spreading more in rural areas and stressed on the importance of vaccination to tackle the pandemic.

It may be mentioned that the 20 KL Liquid Medical Oxygen Cryogenic Storage Tank inaugurated on Tuesday has the storage capacity of 2,600 D-type oxygen cylinders and refilling capacity of 40 D-type cylinders per minute while the PSA plant at JNIMS has a capacity of producing 1000 litres of oxygen per minute (LPM).

The animal Feed Plant which was inaugurated had been set up at the total cost of Rs 80.43 lakh including civil works, equipment and electric power connection.

The fund for the same was provided by Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India under the central scheme of National Programme for Dairy Development The Feed Mixing Plant has a capacity to produce 3 MX of cattle feed per hour, It would cater to the demands of compound cattle feed for the dairy farmers of the state.

Principal secretary (Health) V Vumlunmang, commissioner H Gyan Prakash and other government officials also attended the programme among others.

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