COVID-19 2nd wave much more virulent

June 5, 2021 32 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | June 5

“The State is experiencing the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which is much more virulent than it was last time. And we have lost many family, friends and colleagues in this fight,” Nagaland’s Minister for Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) S Pangnyu Phom said on Friday.

Addressing media personnel for the first time since the second wave hit the state, at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Kohima along with other officials, Phom reiterated on the steps taken by the government to fight the pandemic.

On State’s preparedness
“Knowing fully that oxygen therapy is a critical requirement of COVID management, we have procured cylinders and at the moment, we have nearly five times the oxygen cylinders capacity that we had before the second wave hit us. We have also, with the help of Government of India, operationalised 3 PSA Oxygen Plants at Kohima, Mokokchung and Dimapur. Plants at other district headquarters and the CIHSR are also being set-up,” he informed.

The Minister stated that the government has also tied up more than 1,500 oxygen concentrators for health facilities up to the level of Primary Health Centres (PHC), and also overhauled the supply chain by setting up a State Depot and a Zonal Depot for unhindered and sufficient availability of oxygen.

“We are also in the process of setting up a 200 bed Acute Care Facility at the CIHSR campus on war footing. This will be a pre-engineered modern structure which will continue to be used as a medical facility after we are done with COVID-19.

This will be an additional asset to Dimapur and Nagaland,” he informed.

Concern on rural villages
Expressing concerns on the transmission of the virus from urban to rural areas, Phom said detailed standard operating procedures for containing and managing the COVID-19 in rural areas have been issued.

“The State War Room, District Task Forces, the Village Task Forces are fully engaged in managing the pandemic taking help from all,” he maintained.

Reiterating that vaccination is the most effective tool against preventing infection, Phom emphasised on the need to increase vaccination amongst the rural population using Covishield vaccine.

To this end, he said the DTFs have been instructed for mobilisation through outreach activities and setting up of vaccinations sites in villages so that entire villages are covered and there is least wastage of vaccine.

“There are a lot of false videos and rumours spread by ill-informed people. We should listen to our scientists and medical professionals and take the vaccine and not the rumours,” the Minister advised.

HCWs, FLWs, private hospitals appreciated
Extending appreciation to health care workers and frontline workers, Phom said, “our Health care workers and front-line workers are performing their duties, working for long hours under stress and remaining away from their families for long times, at risk to their personal well-being.”

The Minister acknowledged the support extended by the private hospitals that have came forward and taken the responsibility in fighting the pandemic shoulder to shoulder with the government hospitals.

“The support extended by the churches and the civil society-based organisations has been encouraging. We need their continued support to ensure that the spread to the rural areas is minimised,” stated Phom.

While extending condolences to the many lives lost to COVID-19, Phom reiterated that, “We are all together fighting it with all our resources and we have to continue fighting this war together and we shall win it together. With God’s blessings and guidance, we shall triumph and prevail over the pandemic. Stay home, stay safe.”

Nagaland gets Rs 12.65cr as COVID-19 package
As per data released at the press conference, Nagaland has received over Rs 12.65cr as financial relief under the Government of India’s Emergency COVID Response Plan and Emergency Response & Health System Preparedness Package. The period for implementation of this plan, also known as COVID Package, is from January 2020 to March 2024.

The total receipt for the financial year 2019-20 was stated to be Rs 4,12,22,000, inclusive of 10 percent matching state share.

For 2020-21, the amount was Rs 8,21,00,000, which came in three installments via the World Bank. Accounting an amount of Rs 32,42,000 for COVID vaccination, the amount received totaled to Rs 12,65,64,000.

The total expenses (as on May 31, 2021), stood at Rs 12,43,42,000.

Some Rs 2.06cr was pending from the World Bank as 4th installment and Rs 78.1 lakh pending for vaccination for the year 2020-21.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/covid-19-2nd-wave-much-more-virulent