Congress raises posers to Govt on Covid mess
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 15 2021:
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei, through a virtual live press briefing on Saturday, has raised 21 questions to the BJP-led government in the state on a wide range of issues including oxygen crisis, shortage of ambulances, non-functioning of ICU beds in District hospitals, vaccination duration and preparedness of the state government to face the possible third wave of Covid pandemic.
Expressing that it was unfortunate for a BJP spokesperson to blame public and Congress for the Covid mess in the state, as was reported in the print media; Bupenda said that the reality of the present BJP state government lies in its inability to share daily mortality rate and daily positivity rate to the public.
He further pointed that MPCC president K Govindas, as a part of the 30th martyrdom of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, donated one ambulance to Community Health Centre at Ningthoukhong for Bishnupur AC to help the Covid patients.
Moreover, Wangkhem AC MLA K Meghachandra had given one ambulance for Covid in his constituency as well, Bupendra said, while highlighting Thangmeiband AC MLA Kh Joykisan's concern on the necessity of CSOs to unitedly fight against the Covid pandemic as the state government has clearly failed the public.
The MPCC spokesperson also raised concerns over the rising weekly death rate and positivity rate in the state, the need to conduct RT-PCR in all district hospitals instead of Antigen Test, as infections in rural areas has started rising with positivity rate of 17 per cent (260/1507) as recorded in IDSP-Covid update on May 14.Thus, Bhupenda raised 21 questions to the BJP government such as what is the oxygen (Liquid Medical Oxygen in MT) allocation for Manipur from the central pool and the projected demand of oxygen for Manipur.
He also asked whether an Oxygen Express train could reach Jiribam to bring oxygen for the state.
He further asked how many MT (metric tonne) of oxygen are required per day in Manipur; the buffer stocks of oxygen for emergency in Manipur "What are the quantities (in Metric tonnes) available of oxygen for the following requirements- current stocks, average daily consumption and storage capacity for Hospitals; current stocks, average daily consumption and storage capacity for re-fillers, and total metric tonnes of oxygen required for Hospitals & Re-fillers for Manipur?", he questioned.
Additionally, Bhupenda questioned when could the oxygen supply reach home isolation Covid patients; the compensation from the state government to the families of Covid patients who died due to oxygen shortage, whether in hospitals or in home isolation; the status report of black fungus mucormycosis) cases in Manipur and the daily oxygen demands along with the number of functioning government ambulances in each district.
Further questioning how many District Hospitals have functional ICU facilities equipped with ventilators and doctors & staff to treat Covid patients; the MPCC spokesperson enquired how many crores of rupees have been released by the state government to buy pulse oximeters and medicines to provide them free of cost to the home isolation Covid patients, as stated and posted by Chief Minister on social media on Friday.
He then enquired for how many days will the free vaccination of those between 18 and 45 take place in every district of Manipur; when the scheduled second dose of those vaccinated with first dose will take place; the time to be taken by the state government to vaccinate all eligible population in Manipur and on the results of the genomic sequencing of Covid samples sent from Manipur.
Bhupenda also asked: "What is the meaning of 'increased the number of doctors and nurses' by Chief Minister? How can the number of doctors and nurses be increased without permanent recruitment of doctors and nurses? Why can't there be a permanent recruitment to strengthen health systems to combat the second wave of the pandemic in Manipur?" Wondering how a common man can know the daily available oxygen beds, fully equipped with ventilators and ICUs in every district hospital and private hospital of the state; he asked about the functioning dashboard on real time basis, operated by war room to combat the second wave of Covid pandemic in Manipur, while also enquiring whether there is a dedicated 24x7 war room to monitor the Covid situations in the state.
"What is the percentage of state's GDP which has been utilised to combat the second wave of Covid pandemic in the state? How many crores of rupees have been released from the state exchequer to fight the second wave? If the above questions are fulfilled, then there is a strong possibility of succeeding in the united fight against the pandemic in its third wave.
Thus, what are the steps being taken up by the state government to prevent the third wave of Covid pandemic in Manipur?" the MPCC spokesperson asked.
Comment
