SHILLONG, June 14: Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma has urged the MLAs and media personnel to visit a Covid-19 ward wearing PPE kit to be able to understand the difficulties being faced by the healthcare workers.
Addressing media persons after holding the second Covid-19 review meeting of MLAs on Monday, Sangma said a visit to a Covid ward wearing PPE kit will enable one to understand better the challenges being faced by the healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses.
He said he had recently visited one and would visit it again to send a positive message and boost the confidence of the healthcare workers.
Reacting to Opposition Congress’s claims about the unavailability of ambulances, intensive care units and ventilators, the CM said the state would get 11 ambulances from the DoNER Ministry.
“During the first wave last year, the challenge was more about the transportation of people. We didn’t see serious cases needing oxygen support, so we invested in ambulances. The focus was not much on life support. Now, whatever ambulances we bring in, we will ensure they are equipped with life support system,” Sangma said.
He added: “This is a war-like situation, so having a perfect solution and being able to resolve every single issue may not be possible. We need to realise that we are working against limited resources and time.”
Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh said many new issues came up during the course of the discussion. He said they had deliberated in detail on the Covid situation.
The Speaker said the objective of the review meeting was to ensure that all members come together to put up a united fight against the pandemic. He said it is difficult to take care of every health centre due to the state’s vastness.
Start ICUs, ventilators: Mukul to govt
Congress leader, Mukul Sangma has slammed the state government for not operationalising intensive care units (ICUs) and ventilators provided to Civil Hospitals and other medical facilities.
After attending a meeting convened by Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh to discuss the Covid-19 situation, Mukul told reporters that the ventilators and the ICUs could have saved many more lives in the state.
During the meeting, the MLAs from the Opposition insisted on the operationalisation of all ICUs and ventilators, Mukul said, adding there is a need for proper training of the medical fraternity to operate ICUs and ventilators.
Lamenting that no district in the state has ambulance with basic and advanced life support system, he said the MLAs were assured in the meeting that new ambulances with advanced life support system will be procured immediately.
The Congress leader expressed concern over the surge of Covid cases in rural areas and said the state needs to be cautious.
“There has to be a mechanism to reach out to the (rural) community,” Mukul said.
He expressed concern over the indiscriminate use of life-saving drugs by unauthorized people without the prescription of a registered medical practitioner. He said there were reports that people in rural areas are recovering faster from Covid. He said they are, possibly, using some local herbs.
