Health Minister opens two isolation wards at Moreh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 08 2020: Taking serious note of the rapid surge in novel coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19 cases across the world, Health and Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumar opened two isolation wards at Moreh Hospital and Integrated Check Post (ICP), Moreh today.

The Health Minister has also warned of stern action in case doctors and nurses posted at Moreh are not doing their duties properly.

Before opening the isolation wards, Jayantakumar made a direct assessment of the preparations done at Moreh Hospital and the ICP for opening the isolation wards.

He also held a meeting on COVID-19 at Moreh Hospital with community leaders of the border town and representatives of several CSOs.

Health Minister opens two isolation wards at Moreh

Jayantakumar was accompanied by many high ranking officials of Health Department and the Tengnoupal DC.

Later speaking to media persons, the Health Minister said that the ICP authority has provided a room for opening an isolation ward at the check post, specially for COVID-19 patients.

Moreover, two other rooms have been set aside for housing equipment and tools needed for testing food items imported from Myanmar.

The Government has been working to install the necessary equipment and recruit adequate manpower to take up food safety measures.

Funds needed for purchasing the necessary food safety equipment have been earmarked, he added.

The new initiative would be implemented as a joint venture of the State Government and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India after signing a Memorandum of Understanding, said the Health Minister.

Capitalising on the Health Minister's visit, some residents of Moreh said that many people have been going to Myanmar and back through the long unmanned international border even though preventive measures have been taken up at Moreh gate numbers 1 and 2.They also urged the Health Minister to seal Indo-Myanmar border so as to reduce chances of transmission of COVID-19 from across the border.

Jayantakumar replied that sealing the international border is beyond the purview of the State Government.

Nonetheless, the matter has been discussed between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister N Biren Singh who is currently at Delhi, Jayantakumar further said.

He informed that the State Government has been working to organise awareness programmes at border areas on the common symptoms of COVID-19 and its preventive measures.

To a query raised by media persons about irregularity of doctors and nurses while discharging their duties at Moreh and the practice of sending substitutes, the Health Minister maintained that the alleged irregularity of doctors and nurses could not be ascertained immediately.

Nonetheless, he vowed that stern action would be taken up if doctors and nurses posted at Moreh are not found at their stations during duty hours.