By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 11: Amid rising concerns over Omicron in the country, Health Minister James PK Sangma said the state is closely monitoring the entry of tourists and people from outside Meghalaya to keep a check on the new COVID-19 variant.
In an exchange with reporters on Saturday, he said many countries are yet to understand the virus and research was on to discover the traits of Omicron.
“So, before we truly understand what it is, it will be premature to have any kind of perception about the impact of this new variant,” he said.
The Health Minister said no trace of Omicron has been found among the active cases in Meghalaya according to genome sequencing.
On the state’s vulnerability to Omicron, he said, “We are hopeful that it will not hit Meghalaya. But nonetheless, we are preparing for every possibility.”
The health of tourists and other visitors to the state was also being monitored as a precaution, he said.
Reiterating that adhering to the COVID protocols and getting vaccinated is pivotal to the fight against Omicron, Sangma said the ministry has undertaken efforts to ensure that a maximum number of people get vaccinated, at least with a single dose.
Reacting to the recent order of the High Court, Sangma said the process for setting up a medical college needs introspection and the government will be coming out with a decision very soon.
The division bench of the High Court of Meghalaya had asked the state government to seriously explore the possibility of setting up a medical college in the state to address the healthcare needs of the citizens.
Sangma said a medical college is a legacy issue and there are many complications associated with it. “I appreciate the court’s concern. We are examining the process of setting up a medical college,” he added.
He admitted a medical college could have provided opportunities to many students of the state who aspired to go for MBBS.
“We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past. At the same time, we want to have a sustainable system in place for running a medical college,” he said.
The division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh had said the state should seriously explore the setting up of an institution that will not only help the residents of the state but also be of immense value to the residents of the neighbouring states.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation on the deficiencies in health services in Meghalaya.
As directed by the court in a previous hearing, the state government submitted an affidavit indicating the augmentation in the health services while saying several issues still need to be addressed.
The court said apart from the obvious, in the light of the present pandemic, details regarding the availability of neonatal care at government hospitals and the percentage of beds with the supply of oxygen need to be indicated.
There was also a submission for the setting up of a medical college in and around Shillong.
