Shillong, May 15 (UNI) Four legislators from the Opposition Congress in Meghalaya have
written a joint letter to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma suggesting a slew of measures to
check the rise in COVID-19 cases in the State.
Congress legislators Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, Zenith M Sangma, George Lyngdoh
and H.M.Shangpliang on Saturday shot the letter to Sangma voicing their grave concerns
on the exponential growth in the COVID-19 cases across the State.
"One of the prime reasons for the uncontrolled spread of the infection is home isolation of
maximum infected citizens who do not have proper accommodation in their homes. This
concern was repeatedly raised in order to alert the government so that it can ensure proper
isolation facilities across the State," they informed the Chief Minister.
In the letter, the legislators said that due to sudden and severe strain on the healthcare
system the frontline workers have not been able to even visit their families due to fear of
infecting their near and dear ones.
"They (frontline workers) have not got proper rest nor do the hospitals have proper
accommodation to ensure that their health is also taken care of,” the four Congress
legislators pointed out.
Even though the Government has instructed the Districts to identify the Community
Quarantine Centres, the legislators said there has been no communication as to how
the identified Centres would be managed.
"We would like to suggest that every CHC & PHC should mandatorily identify such
Centres. In urban areas, all the schools and open grounds (with temporary tents) can
be utilized as community quarantine centres. Such Centres should also be provided
with beds and mattresses, toiletries, medical and support staff especially essentials
like food and medicines," they noted.
They also urged the Chief Minister to expedite the instructions along with necessary
resource support to ensure proper in order to immediately isolate the positive cases
considering the extremely high infectious rate of the second wave.
“Till now, all hospitals are simultaneously providing medical aid for both Covid and
non- Covid cases. Considering the rise in the infection, dedicated Covid hospitals should
be declared by the State Government especially in Shillong agglomeration. This will
reduce the strain on the health care system and dedicated medical experts can be
deployed in such hospitals. Non Covid cases will also not be mixed with Covid related
cases. For instance, if the TB Hospital in Umsawli is identified as a Covid Care hospital,
dedicated doctors and medical staff, beds, ICUs, Ventilators can be arranged. This will
ensure dedicated and concentrated efforts for Covid Care,” the legislators suggested.
Informing the Chief Minister that families are facing huge financial burden due to the
lockdown and slowing down of the economic activity across the State, the Congress
legislators suggested, "For Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) registered
families that are tested positive for COVID-19 but not requiring hospitalization, the
medical expenses are not covered under MHIS."
"Even under home isolation or quarantine, being a pandemic, it is criminal if MHIS
does not include all types of COVID-19- related expenses,” they said in reference to
the Health Insurance Scheme.
The Congress legislators also suggested the government that additional and separate
vaccination teams should be identified to handle the entire immunization process to
reduce the workload on the frontline workers and also to reduce the probability of
infections spreading amongst the people.
“The immunization teams should not be placed in the hospitals as they are facing
tremendous workload. Therefore, dedicated vaccine/immunization centres may be
created in few places especially in the urban areas, with makeshift arrangements
where necessary," they further suggested.
“The process of vaccination needs smoothening as the age-wise segregation from
18-44 and 45+ is creating confusion for the vaccination teams at the ground level, as
well as for the people,” the legislators felt.
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