SHILLONG/ TURA, June 5: Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Friday slammed the state government and the Health department for failing to operate the ventilators to save lives due to the lack of trained personnel.
Inspecting the Tura Civil Hospital and the Corona Care Centre along with other Congress legislators and MDCs, Mukul warned that it would be too late to fight a possible third wave of pandemic unless swift action is taken.
He has been touring the civil hospitals across the districts to assess the medical preparedness in the state.
Mukul’s visit comes just two days after Chief Minister Conrad Sangma visited the same hospital, donned a PPE suit and entered a Covid treatment ward to interact with the patients and give them a sense of assurance.
However, Mukul, during his visit found several shortcomings in the function of the hospital vis-à-vis COVID-19 treatment. He alleged that the measures taken by the state government to combat the pandemic were very late and interventions needed to be fast-tracked before the third wave strikes.
In a communique, the Congress party said life-saving ventilators could not be used due to the absence of trained personnel.
In his discussions with the West Garo Hills district officials and doctors, Mukul advised them, including the deputy commissioner, to assess all the technical requirements to upgrade the medical infrastructure and manpower to combat the ongoing pandemic.
Two ICU technicians on duty
Healthcare officials said Tura Civil Hospital’s intensive care unit has two technicians at present while another two who joined a few days ago are being trained. There are a total of six ICU technicians in the selected list, they said.
Plea to CM for financial succour
Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party state president, Jamil Ahmed, has asked Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to bail out farmers, daily-wage earners, shopkeepers who have been subjected to economic woes brought about by the COVID-induced restrictions.
Ahmed said this in a tweet while referring to a recent letter written by the party to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The people of the state need a bail-out plan, especially the farmers, daily wage earners, shopkeepers etc,” Ahmed said in his tweet.
The party, in its letter to the prime minister, had asked the latter to waive off electricity bills from April 1 till the end of lockdown.
The party had also sought other relief measures.
‘Measures taken by the government to combat the pandemic are very late. Interventions needed to be fast-tracked before the third wave strikes’