Fighting the Covid-19 Pandemic: Is the Manipur Govt. on the right track ?
IT Desk
Every one is talking about Covid-19 today. Almost all citizen who have some knowledge of the virus and those who had felt the hit of the pandemic after one of their near and dear ne or themselves have been, now prefer staying at home. The government of Manipur understanding the possible catastrophe, which the society of Manipur is almost at the stage have also been trying everything. The last couple of day show almost all authority of the government including the law makers and the ministers working out to fulfill the demand of oxygen. Many have been procured from the neighbouring Assam, even as the state too have been severely hit by the pandemic. More individuals have also comes up and started donating medical oxygen cylinders to the needy and some have started donating Oxygen concentrators. Dr. Elangbam Bishwajit and his team have already started donating oxygen cylinders to major hospitals and a young environmentalist Lucipriya Kangujam also is donating oxygen concentrators to the needy across the country including Manipur. Lok Sabha MP of the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency have even appealed the government to donate to Chief Ministers Covid -19 relief fund for procuring oxygen and also for providing assistance to the victims of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Moreover, MLA Joykishan of Thangmeiband Assembly constituency had openly announced to spnd Rs. 20lakhs for procuring of Oxygen from his local area development fund and MLA RK Imo have started donating Oxygen concentrators to JNIM hospitals.
Now, it has been informed that in addition to the two private Cryogenic medical oxygen plant in the state one more oxygen plant have been started commissioning at Shija Hospital and Research Institute and as per the Managing Director of the Institute , the oxygen generation plant open has the capacity of producing 250 D-type Medical Oxygen Cylinder. With the procured cylinders from outside the state as well as with the increase in the number of medical oxygen generation in the state, it is obvious that hospitals in the state – including private and government should have some relieved
Now the question is – there seems no change to the order issued by Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare dated May 1, 2021 Ref. No. MED-1706/15/2021 –HS-Health in connection with the allocations of medical oxygen Cylinders. As per the order RIMS which need at an average of around 270 D-type Oxygen Cylinders have been allocated 120-D type Cylinder and the same has been also allotted to JNIMS, where even a prestigious Doctor who had been engaging for treatment of Covid-19 patient, identified as Dr. Robert succumbed to the Covid-19 day before yesterday.
So far the state of Manipur recorded a total of 39,729 covid-19 positive cases since the beginning of tis pandemic since March 2020. As per official statement from the Covid-19 Common Control Room the number of death so far is 578. The total number of positive cases of Covid -19 so far is 32,729. And the total active cases of Covid-19 stands at 6477. One good news is that the recovery rate is told to be 82.24%. But the raise of the Covid positive cases in the last 15 days is alarming. Starting from May 2 till May 14 the total number of people tested positive is …….. and the total number of people succumbed to Covid -19 is …… This report is based on the official statement released by the Covid -19 Common Control room. However as per medical experts the number of casualty due to Covid -19 cases may have been more then the number provided by the government authorities, as there are report of many died during this period without coming to the hospital or without having tested.
Now with the spike of the positive cases and the rise in the death toll the government had open 14 (fourteen) Covid Care centers at some districts. The CCC open by the government are at BalBhan in Imphal East, National Sports University, Lamboikhongnangkhong KKK in Imphal West, RD Wing in Imphal West, Lanva TD Block in Churachandpur district, Government College in Churachandpur district. Jiribam, DIET in Kangpokpi, TML Hr. Secondary School in Tamenglong district, Th. Tengkhojang in Noney district, GNM Hostel in Thoubal district, Kakching Higher Secondary school in Kakching district and Transit Hostel in Ukhrul district. Beside these, some of the Community Care center has also been open at various assembly constituency under the supervision of the respective MLAs of each constituency as directed by the Chief Minister of Manipur.
Now many people as well as MLAs and Ministers have spared no pains to procure oxygen as the state is in need of oxygen. The CCC open by the government has been reportedly empty with few people only. As per a social media pot uploaded by Dr. Ranjan Sapam , who is also the health advisor there are 1094 beds available vacant in all the 14 government opened CCC.
According to the government statement 1488 D type oxygen cylinders and 568 B type oxygen cylinders have been made available to different Health Institutions. If this is true and if the news about the procurement of oxygen from outside the state is true, than definitely the state authority can new arrange some oxygen cylinders to at least the those 14 CCC opened by the government. Besides , the State health authority should assigned some health workers by providing proper PPE kits for emergency calls at each centers. In addition to this, the government can spare some money from the Chief Minister’s Covid Care Fund for at least two meals to these centers or else the government can organized fund drive separately for those inmates at CCC.
With all the facts, the government is nearing on the right track but due to lack of something which the common people cannot expressed something still is not on the right track.
We suggest the government hand this matter to Dr. Sapam Ranan and let him start planning with the help of experts to make sure that the CCC open by the government serves the people.
