DANGAR: Local MLA of Mawsynram HM Shangpliang has called for revamping and improving the Public Health Centre (PHC) in Dangar, East Khasi Hills amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shangpliang along with Health Minister AL Hek, DHS (MI) Aman War visited the PHC on Monday to check the preparation of the health centre to deal with the COVID-19 situation. The local MLA said that there are 20 returnees who are staying in the isolation centre and are reportedly healthy. The doctor checks them regularly and there is a routine for the ASHA and other workers also to provide help. Referring to a positive case which has been detected at Dhormopur village which is 500 m from Ryngku in Mawsynram, he said, “But today, we need to see that there should be testing of all residents in Bangladesh border. We need to be vigilant. We need to be protective”.
He urged the residents to cooperate with the office of the Director of Health Services (DHS) if they arrive in the village to test the residents.
“There should not any doubts. Just because you have high fever does not necessarily mean you have the virus and there is no need to be afraid. We need to be enlightened on this matter”, Shangpliang said. The MLA informed the health minister that an application was sent to set up a sub-centre at Dholai Moloi, Weiloi and Jyllep. On the other hand, Hek urged the people to follow the health advisories.
“People are panicked but if we are disciplined we will not contract the disease,” he said. Meanwhile, the vice headman, Harmless Syiemlieh rued that people in the border areas do not maintain the health protocol of social distancing and it is tough to keep a check on them. He also expressed the inability of getting funds to appoint volunteers to help the inmates at the quarantine centre. Syiemlieh informed that they have consulted the authorities to allow St. Peter’s School for quarantine centre.
He informed that the PHC Dangar covers 52 villages and patients from Mawsynram also come to the PHC. On the other hand, War said it cannot be estimated as to when the virus will disappear but the people should not lose hope.
He advised children below 10 years of age and the elderly people above 60 years old to remain indoors.“We have to enforce the health protocol stringently and we must not say that we cannot do. Wearing mask, social distancing and washing of hands is important as there is no vaccine for the disease yet,” he said.
War also said that the people should not panic and there should not be any stigmatisation as such an attitude will bring about mental distress among the patients.
