CM Biren has conveniently forgotten his own physical inspection of land and public assurance of building a 200-bedded emergency COVID hospital at Langthabal, Imphal on March 30, 2020, says the MPCC president
TFM Desk
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Govindas urged prime minister Narendra Modi to intervene in handling the COVID situations in the state to save the lives of people in the state, alleging that the present state government has “completely failed” in saving the lives of our people from COVID pandemic in the state.
In a letter to PM Modi, the MPCC president suggested immediately establishing a 1,000-bedded exclusive COVID hospital by DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation) and Indian Army to combat the second wave in the state.
Govindas also pleaded Central assistance with strict instructions under the Prime Minister’s office to fully equip all the district hospitals with a minimum of 100 beds each immediately to fight the second wave in the state.
He also proposed free vaccination for all, including those between 18 and 45 years, to be expedited on war footing, and assure regular supply of vaccine in the state.
Govinda’s, in the letter, said that he was deeply moved by the daily rising mortality and positivity rates due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Manipur, which has higher COVID-19 deaths per million than the numbers of bigger states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Telangana, as per the recent Press Information Bureau press release, dated May 9, 2021 by Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India.
“Consequently, I am seriously concerned about the preparedness of the Manipur government to tackle the third wave, which was stated to be inevitable by your Principal Scientific Advisor recently in the media,” he added.
Taking a dig at Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, the MPCC president said that it was, indeed, a matter of unfortunately tragic handling of the present COVID crisis in the state by CM Biren, who also the health minister, and who even has conveniently forgotten his own physical inspection of land and public assurance of building an Emergency COVID Hospital in the form of a 200 bedded building at Langthabal, Imphal on March 30, 2020 to fight the first wave in the state.
“Had the Emergency Hospital for COVID been built, today’s surge in mortality and infections due to COVID-19 would have been much lower and slower in the state,” he added.
Govindas also complained that the district hospitals in each district of the state are not adequately equipped with ICU, ventilators, oxygen and requisite equipment, and they are short of doctors, nurses and staff. As a result, there is a genuine fear of chaotic situations in the rural and hill districts of the state, he added.
He also exuded confidence that PM’s office and Union Government of India will swiftly and efficiently take all scientifically, technologically, financially and administratively possible measures to stop the high infections and rapid mortality due to Covid in the state and also proactively prepare for the third wave.