Congress MLA K Meghachandra asked why the state is still having a 12.6 percent positivity rate as it was extremely alarming. Questions related to the lack of infrastructure including ICU beds and ventilators in the hill districts were also raised during the current Assembly session.
TFM Report
Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that the state is ready and prepared to handle any eventualities arising out of the Covid pandemic. He was replying to a calling attention from Wangkhem assembly constituency Congress MLA K Meghachandra in the first sitting of the 13th session that began on Friday.
Meghachandra asked the reasons why the state is still having a 12.6 percent positivity rate and it is extremely alarming, he questioned the lack of infrastructure including ICU beds and ventilators in the hill districts and how many unreported deaths are there? Why some individuals died receiving the vaccine? How much compensation will be given to those who died of the pandemic? He demanded that a white paper be produced so that the public can know what were the exact lapses.
Replying to the question, N Biren Singh said that the state has now enough manpower, beds, oxygen and infrastructure is being developed. He said that the positivity rate is going down and when compared to some five states of India, Manipur is still by large not in a bad situation. He mentioned that nine hospitals are taking care of Covid patients, five of them in the private sector, a 200 bedded hospital with 50 ICU beds is being constructed and would be ready in a week time, further 370 doctors along with 595 nurses are being contracted, three oxygen plants are ready and more are under construction.
The chief minister said that he will give the reason why some individuals died while receiving the vaccine and will bring out the white paper as demanded by Meghachandra. The leader of the House said that priority is given to Covid victims – mainly orphans and those in other professions including drivers, artists, women vendors, daily wage earners etc., and the amount chalked out by the government will be deposited in their accounts soon. He added that the main issue is to complete the required vaccination at the earliest. There are at least seven lakhs population yet to be vaccinated, he said.
N Biren Singh maintained that the majority of deaths occurred as the patients came to the hospitals at a very late stage when their oxygen levels were low and. He requested the public to avail medical help once tested positive. Co-morbidity is another issue for many who have lost their lives due to further complications. The chief minister asserted that the state is now prepared for any Covid situation which may arise in the future.