Prepare roadmap for effective vaccination drive: Joykisan
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 11 2021: The State Government should prepare a concrete roadmap for successful vaccination of all eligible persons against COVID-19 and intensify contact tracing and testing to avoid future surge in the number of positive cases, said MLA Th Joykisan.

In an audio recording he sent to this paper (due to the Covid pandemic which restricts gathering of people), Joykisan said the State's effort to contain the surge in the number of cases and deaths due to coronavirus amid the second wave has not been transparent and effective.

As patients are getting required medical attention very late, the Covid mortality rate is rising.

A committee which was formed by the Government to refer Covid patients requiring hospitalization to hospitals and Covid Care Centres has failed utterly, he said.

Joykisan said, Covid patients who require hospitalization are made to wait for hours without medical attention before they are admitted to hospitals.

He explained, patients who need hospitalization are referred to hospitals by a Government committee formed for this purpose.

Without their reference, Covid patients are not admitted at hospitals.

Several patients from Thangmeiband had to wait for more than 5-6 hours before they were admitted at hospitals.

Some even had to endure and wait for a day or two to get admission.

Due to such lapses of the committee, the patients are not getting the required and much needed medical attention and as such, the mortality rate is increasing, said Joykisan.

The Government should study and investigate the reason for the increasing mortality.

It should ask the families of the victims to get a fair idea about what is wrong with the current system of admission and treatment, he said.

Talking about the rising Covid cases, he said one main reason for the spike is the failure of the healthcare system to perform aggressive contact tracing and testing.

During the first wave of the pandemic last year, there were strict contact tracing and testing of people.

Covid Care Centres opened at community level and hospitals were able to treat and give required medical attention to the patients effectively.

As a result, the first wave was successfully contained, said Joykisan.

To successfully flatten the infection and mortality curves amid the second wave, there should be strict and enhanced contact tracing and testing.

Patients who need immediate medical attention and hospitalization should be evacuated to hospitals and Covid Care Centres without delay.

There should be no room for favouritism in admission of patients at hospitals, he said.

Joykisan then went on to assert that the Government lacks transparency in handling the COVID-19 pandemic amid the second wave.

During the first wave of the pandemic, the status of patients could be accessed at hospitals and Covid Care Centres.

There were close coordinations between the locals/volunteers and healthcare workers at the CCCs.

Now, the status of patients are not known or shared, he said.

On vaccination, he said the current pace of vaccination against COVID-19 would fail to cover all eligible persons in time.

At Thangmeiband vaccination centre, about 150 persons are being vaccinated per day.

Thangmeiband has 15,000 people aged 45 plus.

If 150 people are vaccinated in a day excluding holidays, it would take around 4 months for all of them to get the first dose of the vaccine.

This means it would take about 8 months to completely vaccinate them.

If the trend continues, complete vaccination of 18-44 group at Thangmeiband alone would take one and a half years.

The virus can't be asked to wait for one and half years.

The pace of the vaccination should be enhanced, he said.

Joykisan suggested that the Government should maintain transparency in handling the pandemic and have a clear cut policy to effectively contain the spread.

Patients in need of medical support and attention should be evacuated and admitted to hospitals early.

If there is a shortage of ambulance, the Government may utilise private vans.

The vans may be equipped with life supports and GPS for real time tracking.

This may also provide them livelihood during the curbs/lockdown/imposed due COVID-19 which has shut their work.

All available manpower should be utilised to effectively contain the second wave.

The Government may also rope in Central security force, he said.

Joykisan also asserted that the Government should enforce a uniform price for Covid vaccine in the State.

He also shared the pain and grief of the bereaved families of Covid victims.

For Covid related assistance, people of Thangmeiband can call volunteers of Thangmeiband Kendra Development Organisation (TAKDO) at 7005130267; 7005051389; 7630965606; 8415097601; 8794928952 and 9856157269 .

Comment