AMUCO shares thoughts as COVID-19 cases spike
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 20 2020: The All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) has proposed the State Government to further deliberate on the action plan to deal with the rising COVID-19 cases by encompassing more specialized sections and agencies.

COVID-19 cases in the State has risen to 23 as many State natives who were stranded at various States across the Nation continue to return phase wise and more are on their way.

AMUCO in a statement said that the State Government alone cannot fight the disease and thus regular touch with the people must be maintained by issuing renewed and more comprehensive advisories from time to time.

Unabated extension of lockdown and curfew; cancellation of curfew passes and allowing only Government machinery in relief and distribution works will not be able serve the purpose of containing the spread of the disease and fulfilling the basic needs of the people, said AMUCO.

With the strict and timely imposition of lockdown and recovery of first two COVID-19 patients, the State was classified under green zone and had breathed a sigh of relief for a brief period.

But the feeling of easiness has dissipated with the sudden spike in the number of positive cases from among the returnees, AMUCO continued.

Evacuation work to bring back the stranded Manipuris (around 50 thousand) is a noble initiative but what is more concerning is the readiness of the State to deal with any development, contended AMUCO.

Even though many of the returnees are from orange zones and even red zones, no responsible person or medical experts have come out publicly to supervise and brief on the successful and effective conduct of the screening and testing procedures at entry points, alleged AMUCO.

The organisation questioned whether the State has enough quarantine and isolation facilities to lodge all the returnees and how well equipped are the frontline workers which include medical practitioners, health workers, media, police, sanitary workers etc.

while saying that all issues need to be thoroughly discussed to chalk out an effective action plan.

The apex body also expressed concern over the accuracy factor of the testing kits as the accuracy of the best testing kits stand at 70 pc according to medical experts while maintaining the need of handling tests and screening more carefully.

Expressing the need for providing extensive training to medical practitioners (doctors, nurses and health workers), AMUCO questioned whether the current man power and two leading hospitals would be able to handle the situation in case number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise as the new disease has even wreaked havoc across medically advanced country like USA.

The entry for patients seeking other treatment and those infected by COVID-19 are the same, said the organisation while stressing on the need to have separate entry points.

As it is pertinent that State will be hosting more COVID-19 patients in the days to come, there is a need for expansion of expert committee being formed to tackle the pandemic under the aegis of the State Government, continued AMUCO while asking the State Government to encompass pandemic specialists, virologists and respiratory specialists for effective study of the disease and treatment.

AMUCO also expressed confidence that the State Government will come out with a far sighted and resolute policy for the safety and welfare of the people.

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