SHILLONG, May 10: As the state grapples with surging COVID-9 cases, concerns have been flagged time and again regarding rural areas which are vulnerable as the health infrastructure is not up to the mark considering the widespread impact of the coronavirus.
Sounding alarm, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has suggested that the Meghalaya government should give special preference to setting up healthcare infrastructure in rural areas so that they can put up some fight against the dreaded COVID-19.
In a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, the HYC said that with the surge in active cases and an upward trend in the graph of new infections, it is feared that the existing COVID-19 designated wards and beds in Shillong’s hospitals will be exhausted in the next couple of days.
According to the organisation, it is because category C&D COVID patients are being brought to the hospitals in Shillong for treatment. “Now, with the cases surging from all parts of the state, it cannot be expected that only hospitals in Shillong will be mandated with the treatment of COVID cases. Government hospitals in other districts like civil hospitals in Nongstoin, Mairang, Nongpoh, Jowai, Williamnagar, Tura, Baghmara, Ampati amd Khliehriat as well as MCH hospitals in Panaliar and Tura should be activated to treat COVID patients from respective districts,” HYC general secretary Roy Kupar Synrem said.
He observed that civil hospitals are supposed to be staffed with medical officers, physicians, surgeons and other specialists, nurses and paramedical personnel and possess facilities for housing indoor patients as well as others needing intensive care. “All these district hospitals should have designated beds and wards for COVID patients and be equipped with life-saving medicines, oxygen cylinders and ventilators. It is also suggested that the state government take steps towards making all the 110 functioning PHCs and 30 CHCs in the state active to accommodate and monitor patients falling under categories A & B, in their respective jurisdictions, if the surge in rural areas is to be stopped, as home isolation is not a viable and practical solution in villages,” Synrem pointed out.
He recalled that during the first wave, almost every village which requires its residents to be put in isolation or quarantined, set up community quarantine centres and ran them with little or no help from the government for almost two to three months. Running and managing a community quarantine centre in localities or villages is not an easy task and involves financial resources and manpower, he said.
“The government should find a solution to this problem faced by Dorbar Shnong. It should quickly find a way to assist the Dorbar in setting up the centres in their localities and villages,” Synrem said.
Meanwhile, HYC general secretary suggested that the state government should convene a meeting of all MLAs to deliberate on the way forward in combating the disease.
“Although last year, Assembly Speaker along with the MLAs had decided to contribute 10% of their salary towards the fight against coronavirus, which is commendable, this time around the fight is much fiercer and requires a lot of resources, especially finance,” he observed.
Synrem also suggested that the state government should take a call to cut down salaries of ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats by 30 per cent for this financial year towards a special fund for fighting COVID-19 in the state. MLA scheme for the year 2021-2022 should be deducted by 50 per cent and this money can be used towards setting up of community quarantine centres, buying ventilators and COVID vaccines, ensure a buffer stock of medical oxygen cylinders, activate and equip the PHCs, CHCs and district hospitals in the state to fight COVID, Synrem added.
Corona care centres
Legislators — UDP MLA Balajied Synrem and MDCs Titosstar Well Chyne and Teinwell Dkhar — have urged upon the state government to set up COVID-19 care centre in Sohra and Shella constituencies.
In a joint letter to Health and Family Welfare Minister, AL Hek, on Monday, the three public representatives stated that in the last few days, there has been an alarming rise of cases of COVID-19 in and around Sohra and Shella area.
“…start a dedicated COVID-19 care centre within Sohra and Ichamati CHC to facilitate accessible and speedy treatment for COVID patients,” the letter stated. “This will ease the burden of the already-stretched healthcare workers of Shillong and also prevent overwhelming of the healthcare system in the hospitals of Shillong,” it added.
Webinar on building community resilience
With an aim to facilitate non-discrimination, cooperation, and social protection in all the communities by using indigenous values, the NESFAS, on Monday organised an online webinar on the strategic plan to address the concern for the communities’ resilience during COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the preparedness plan, the team is supporting 130 communities to promote COVID-19 protocols and also facilitating the need to have quarantine centres in every community.
The plan also includes the support of medical needs such as oxygen tanks and sanitisers in villages and ensuring vaccine acceptance in the community with the help of health workers like ASHAs and Anganwadis. The work also focuses on building the body’s resilience and immunity through indigenous ways and consumption of the right food groups.
It was also reported that the Wakringtonggre community in West Garo Hills became the first NESFAS partner community that has 100 per cent vaccination completion for persons above 45 years.
