SHILLONG: The ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance and Opposition Congress on Saturday asked people not to stigmatise victims of the coronavirus as it could affect anyone and, instead, provide sensitive support to them and other probable cases.
The joint call came after a meeting convened to discuss ways and means to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the state. Several suggestions and ideas were exchanged during the meeting convened by the Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh.
They also urged citizens not to be fearful of the virus and to follow the standard protocols relating to personal hygiene, hand washing, cough etiquette and social distancing.
Speaking later to media persons, Lyngdoh said that the meeting deliberated on ensuring that people at the ground level do not suffer and the government gives full support to them.
“ If needed, we will meet again and we will try to do our best”, he said.
Opposition leader Mukul Sangma said that state must prepare collectively for any challenge and it must work collectively and reassure the people to instill confidence in them. “ We are all together with the last man in the society”, Sangma said while urging the government to be aggressive in information-sharing about COVID-19.
Talking about social stigma, he said that it must stop so that the people who are infected with the virus can come forward and identify themselves.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma also said that they would work together as a team to ensure that the virus does not spread in the state and the government would try to work on every suggestion made in the meeting. “As per existing data, most people affected by the virus will not need hospitalisation and will recover by being under home isolation. The government is fully prepared to deal with all cases that may need hospitalisation,” a joint statement issued by the chief minister, leader of the Opposition and the Speaker said while asking everyone to be respectful and kind to all the health care staff and other frontline workers.
During the meeting, the government informed that testing capacity has been increased since the detection of the first positive case.
The capacity of RT-PCR testing will be increased from 90 to 370 by mid-May while 50,000 antibody RD kits will be available by the first week of May,
It was also informed that the health system was being constantly strengthened and adequate stocks of health equipment were now available across the state, including PPE (64,458), N95 masks (80,190), BiPAP machines (60) and three-ply masks (5,10,000).
The statement said that quarantine, corona care and isolation centres have been set up across the state to meet any surge situation and doctors and other frontline medical staff, including ambulance drivers and housekeeping staff, were also being well taken care of.
In addition, surveillance and monitoring of all the registered 5200 individuals is being done by the government; the framework for home quarantine and testing post April 28 was also discussed in detail in the meeting.
As for foodgrain distribution, it was informed that the April quota for the 21, 45, 145 NFSA beneficiaries and 7, 72, 694 non- NFSA beneficiaries has been completed while that for May is under way.
According to the statement, disbursement of Rs 3000 one-time financial assistance for 10,287 citizens from the state stranded outside is under way.
“Benefits are also being provided under the various other schemes- PM KISAN (87,187 farmers @ Rs 2000), PM Jan Dhan Yojana (3,01,428 women account holders @ Rs 1,500), Building and Construction Workers (17,649 workers @ Rs. 3000) and assistance for unorganized sector (2,02,281 workers @ Rs. 2,100 (applicants being verified)), provision kits for quarantined 5200 households”, the statement said.
