Leaders of Communist Party of India (CPI), Manipur State Council have called on the Central Health team who were in Manipur to assess the COVID-19 and submitted a memorandum.
In the memorandum, the Manipur chapter of the CPI drew the attention of the Central team to materialise the Manipur government’s plan to set up a 500-bedded COVID-19 dedicated hospital among others.
The Central team that arrived in Imphal on October 28 has left Imphal on Friday, concluding their three-day tour in the state, after assessing the pandemic situation of the state.
Addressing a press conference at party office in Imphal, CPI leader L Sotinkumar said that apart from demanding setting up of the proposed COVID-19 dedicated hospital, the party has also demanded monitoring of funds released by the Centre in the state for combating the pandemic. He demanded that the dedicated COVID-19 hospital should be set up at the earliest in view of the ever surging cases of COVID-19 in the state.
A COVID-19 dedicated hospital is the need of the hour in Manipur due to the rising COVID-19 cases in the state, the CPI leader said. He allegedd that this is so, as the state Health authority is unable to provide proper healthcare service to both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
“The state government is unable to control the spread of the pandemic in the state despite the assistance provided by the Centre due to the poor and inadequate healthcare system and infrastructural problem”, the CPI state secretary added.
The CPI leader then said that there is a strong likelihood of a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 infections in the state after the November 7 by-polls in four Assembly constituencies. The situation can be aggravated after the upcoming big festivals like the Ningol Chakouba, he expressed concern.
He then alleged that COVID-19 protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to check the spread of the viral infection are not followed during the poll campaigns in the state.
Sotinkumar, however, said the CPI has stayed away from participating in the by-polls as for the party combating the COVID-19 pandemic is more important than elections.
CPI Central Council member Dr M Nara who also attended the press conference said that there would be no dearth of funds for setting up the hospital.
During the meeting with the Central team, they informed that there is no dearth of funds on the part of the Central government for combating the pandemic.
Hence, setting up the dedicated COVID-19 hospital within 15 days would not be a difficult task on the part of the state government, Nara said. The only things required are commitment, sincerity and transparency on the part of the government, he added.
Dr Nara then reminded about a government plan to set up the COVID-19 dedicated hospital which was announced by state chief minister N Biren Singh at the initial stage of the pandemic.
According to Dr Nara, during the meeting with the Central team, the CPI had submitted a five-point proposal.
Apart from demanding the COVID-19 dedicated hospital, the five-point also included providing adequate kits, ventilators and other equipment through ICMR or central government agencies to the state.
CPI also drew the attention of the Central government to disclose the manner the Centre releases funds to combat the pandemic in the state and mechanism to monitor it if any.
NNN
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