Fight against COVID-19 : Student bodies share thoughts
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, May 14 2020: Three major student organisations of the State have made several recommendations while discussing the topic, "Critical analysis on the impacts of global pandemic Covid-19 in respect of Manipur State and a way forward" .

All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Singpanglup (AIMS) held the discussion on Monday at Manipur University.

The participants of the programme discussed at length on the impacts of Covid-19 on Manipur and a way forward and collectively came to the point that "prevention is the best solution".

Considering the fact that Manipur lacks the resources and infrastructure to combat the "onslaught of this pandemic Covid-19", the three student organizations recommended that the Government ensure the safety of the entire community by immediately taking measures for emergency response such as allotment of quarantine centres.

Specification of returnees from Red Zones and Orange Zones should be mandatorily allotted in the institutional quarantine centres while returnees from Green Zones should be put at the community or village quarantine centres, they observed.

"Segregation of returnees' along colour zones should also be maintained accordingly at all the quarantine centres.

All the quarantine centres should be monitored by the Government," the three student bodies further recommended.

The three student bodies also recommended for mandatory testing for Covid-19 for all the returnees irrespective, they are symptomatic or asymptomatic.

They also said that the Government should provide adequate number of PPEs for front liners with fair districtwise/Assembly Constituency wise distribution.

ANSAM, DESAM and AIMS also asked the Government to improve and provide sufficient equipments and facilities at all the district hospitals, CHCs, PHS and SPHCs.

They also suggested the Government to engage all the private or unemployed certified doctors, paramedics and nurse-midwives under a suitable policy to ease the acute shortage of manpower in the Health Department.

The three student bodies asked the Government for reactivation of Tengbang Financial Assistance Scheme for the stranded citizens of Manipur in different parts of India to ensure their welfare.

The three student organizations also recommended the Government for introduction of a mechanism to help the stranded migrant workers in the State whoever is willing to go back to their native State.

The Government was also recommended to mobilise volunteers in coordination with student bodies and civil bodies to assist the police and the Health Department in fighting the pandemic.

"Take on board the students and civil bodies in the Incident Response System (IRS) for ensuring prompt and proactive response toward the pandemic crisis with concerted effort," the three student bodies also said.

The health crisis would become the hunger crisis if "we do not place the right policy at the right time", said the three student bodies.

To ensure food security for the entire citizens in the State, the Government and people should join hands and constitute a High-Level Economic Task Force involving all stakeholders to conduct a minute economic assessment and formulate a practical policy with self-reliance approach, they further suggested.

"Agriculture and allied sectors, food production and processing and services sector must move forward on war footing with adequate support from the Government," they added.

The State Government "may" declare economic packages for the farmers small and medium entrepreneurs to promote more production.

On education, ANSAM, DESAM and AIMS said that learning process must continue through e-learning and other pragmatic mechanisms should be adopted according to the viability of the places, situation and colour zones.

"The Government may enact a policy to be strictly abided by all the school authorities to ensure the continued teaching-learning process for teachers and students," they further said.

Comment