Shillong, Nov 15 (UNI) Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek on Sunday said that the government is ready if the second wave of COVID-19, strikes the State.
“We are prepared any time any moment we are prepared for the second wave. ... only thing we are praying to God that there is no “massacre” happening in our state,” Hek said.
Meghalaya has so far registered 10,632 COVID-19 cases, including 1,014 active cases, 100 deaths with case fatality rate at 0.94 besides 9,518 recoveries from the viral infection.
“We have to be careful and follow the protocol issued by the government from time to time,” the Health minister said, while appealing to the people of the State to strictly follow the three cardinal principles of maintaining distance between each other, wear masks and hand hygiene to prevent from contracting the virus.
On the issue of testing for COVID-19 being charged, the Health Minister said that the government cannot survive all the time by giving free testing.
“The government also has limited resources. So with the limited resources we have to run the government. But for the BPL families testing is still free. Those who are voluntarily going for testing and those referred by doctors they have to pay otherwise it is being taken care of by the government,” he said.
The Health Minister also informed that recently he went to Delhi to meet the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan to get financial help from the government of India for the state.
“Assurance has been given that additional funding will be given to the State of Meghalaya for COVID-19,” Hek said.
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