COVID slowly making its way into villages, says Health Dept

June 3, 2021 60 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | June 3

Although the COVID-19 situation appears to have slightly improved in Dimapur and Kohima, the spread of the virus into rural areas has become a concern for the State health department.

“It appears that the situation is slightly improving Dimapur and Kohima, but it is now going to the rural areas, which has become a concern,” said Dr Neikhrielie Khimiao, Principal Director (PD) of the State Health and Family Welfare Department, during an interaction with some media personnel at his office on June 2.

He cautioned that though there may be a slight improvement to an extent, “but we cannot say it is over. It may flare up anytime.”

With the Coronavirus slowly making its way into the villages, Dr Khimiao shared that the department has already worked out surveillance teams to work at each level viz district hospitals, community centers and sub-centers on the modalities and to carry out contact tracing, vaccination and also mobilise staff to collect data.

“Not even one district is spared from the COVID-19 as of today,” the PD said, adding that, to check and contain the spread of the virus in the rural areas “it will depend on the surveillance team of collecting the reports and accordingly, the medical team has to swing into action according to the given situations.”

To strengthen the fight against COVID-19, he said the department has constituted a team comprising of senior officers of the department representing each district whereby daily reports are being collected. The reports are then shared and discussed on a daily basis by the Peace Zone Committee of the department and efforts are on to address the issues, the PD stated.

When asked on the areas of concern in the fight against COVID-19, Dr Khimiao cited aspects like workforce management, oxygen supply, vaccination, availability of essential drugs and gearing up the surveillance team.

He expressed relief that till today, the State has not run out of medicines as it has ensured that lives saving drugs are always made available to the districts. “We have put proposals to the government for further requirements,” he said and added that orders have been placed with the suppliers with a limited time period so that the requirements can reach the State at the earliest.

Dr Khimiao also informed that the order placed for Rapid Antigen Test kits are likely to arrive in 2-3 days’ time.

On the low rate of vaccination in the State, he viewed ‘wrong information’ as the key reason for the low performance. Nonetheless, Dr Khimiao said realisation of the importance of vaccination is slowly dawning on the people and he expressed optimism that more would come forward to take the vaccine.

The PD also appreciated private sector hospitals for extending their helping hands during the crisis stating that “the government establishments are getting a big relief. We should all come together, cooperate and help our public.”

He also thanked the State government for its continuous support and help particularly for re-planning in the oxygen distribution system, and giving its full support to the private sector hospitals.

“Despite the problems and issues cropping up here and there, we try our level best to keep it going. We cannot succumb to the given circumstances and say that we cannot do it anymore,” said Dr Khimiao.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/covid-slowly-making-its-way-into-villages-says-health-dept