SHILLONG, May 16: A quartet of Congress MLAs—Ampareen Lyngdoh, George Lyngdoh, HM Shangpliang and Zenith Sangma—have petitioned Chief Minister Conrad Sangma over the deteriorating covid situation in the state and the spectre of inadequate support system for handling the patients.
The MLAs said that one of the prime reasons for the uncontrolled spread of the infection is the stark absence of state-sponsored isolation centres and the resultant home confinement of most infected citizens who do not have proper accommodation in their houses.
The MLAs have asked the Government to provide support systems for community quarantine centres saying though the Government has instructed the Districts to identify the Community Quarantine Centres, there has been no communication as to how the identified Centres would be managed.
“We would like to suggest that every CHC & PHC should mandatorily identify such Centres. In urban areas, all the schools and open grounds (with temporary tents) can be utilised as community quarantine centres.
Such Centres should also be provided with beds and mattresses, toiletries, medical and support staff especially essentials like food and medicines,” the MLAs said while adding that so far, the District administrations have not received any kind of instruction in this regard on how the identification should be done and how they should be managed.
Asking Government to identify dedicated hospitals for COVID-19 care, the MLAs said Till now, all hospitals are simultaneously providing medical aid for both Covid and non-Covid cases and Considering the rise in the infection, dedicated Covid hospitals should be declared by the State Government especially in Shillong agglomeration which will reduce the strain on the health care system and dedicated medical experts can be deployed in such hospitals.
” Non Covid cases will also not be mixed with Covid related cases. For instance, if the TB Hospital in Umsawli is identified as a Covid Care hospital, dedicated doctors and medical staff, beds, ICUs, Ventilators can be arranged. This will ensure dedicated and concentrated efforts for Covid Care. If 2-3 such dedicated hospitals are included it will ease the pressure across the medical fraternity and shifts can be planned for them,” the letter adds.
The MLAs are also of the opinion that all Covid related expenses should be 100% covered under MHIS for all patients as due the lockdown and slowing down of the economic activity across the State, families are facing huge financial burden as For MHIS registered families that are tested positive for Covid19 but not requiring hospitalisation, the medical expenses are not covered under MHIS.
“Even under home isolation or quarantine, being a pandemic, it is criminal if MHIS does not include all types of Covid19 related expenses. Due to Covid19, all categories of patients have to suffer additional medical expenses for various Covid19 related items like masks, PPEs, tests etc. required during their treatment. However, the package under MHIS does not give 100% coverage for such expenses.” the MLAs said
The MLAs also maintained that immunization Centres should not be in Hospitals treating covid, adding the immunisation teams should not be placed in the hospitals as they are facing tremendous workload.
“Therefore, dedicated vaccine/immunisation centres may be created in few places especially in the urban areas, with makeshift arrangements where necessary,” the letter read.
