TURA: Holding a review meeting on the level of preparedness in the face of possible outbreak of Covid-19 corona virus infection in the West Garo hills district, Meghalaya Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, James Pangsang K. Sangma met with officials of West Garo Hills District Administration, including Health, Supply and Information & Public Relations here at the Tura Circuit House on Tuesday morning.
James Sangma, who has been appointed by Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma as the nodal minister in-charge of Garo Hills region monitoring the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, said he wanted to see how prepared the concerned departments were to deal with the challenging situation in respect of health, maintenance of law and order and supply of essential commodities and asked the officials present the situation report as well as their requirements.
The minister also asked the officers to be prepared to cope up with situation in the aftermath of 21-day lock down.
West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh who apprised the Minister on all the necessary steps being taken in the district, informed that the process was on for setting up of a testing centre as well as isolation centres.
Apprising the Health department’s preparedness, DMHO, Tura Dr. M. R. Sangma informed the minister that Pastoral Centre has been identified as isolation centre with 136 beds ready, while 58 beds were ready for Quarantine Centre at SMELC Building, Dakopgre. Isolation wards also have been made ready at the Tura Civil Hospital which is the dedicated COVID-19 Hospital for Garo Hills with 8 beds, Tura Christian Hospital with 4 beds, Holy Cross Hospital with 5 beds, Chibinang PHC with 30 beds and in five PHCs in the district with 2 beds each.
He also informed the minister about the shortage of N95 masks and non-availability of ambulance except for one 108 ambulances and said that one dedicated ambulance for transportation of COVID-19 patients and one vehicle for sample collection would be required for the district. Supply of ventilators was also discussed during the meeting.
As far as supply of essential commodities is concerned, the minister was informed that although the district has sufficient stock of commodities like rice, dal, etc., it was also having to cater to South Garo Hills district, particularly Chokpot, which is entirely dependent on West Garo Hills for supply of such essential items. It was also informed that permission was being issued for procurement of food grains under OMSS from cities like Guwahati as well as Delhi and that respective districts have to identify lifting officers for the same. Supply and distribution of LPG was also one of the main concerns, the minister was told.