Fund COVID-19 hospital : CPI to Centre

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 30: The Manipur State Council, Communist Party of India has written to VK Dewangan, Central Nodal Officer, COVID-19 Control Committee asking the Centre to fund the establishment of a COVID-19 dedicated hospital in the State at the earliest.
Anticipating a major spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the State after the completion of the Nov 7 by-polls and Ningol Chakkouba festival, the MSC/CPI had written to the Nodal Officer appealing for prompt preventive and control measures.
In the letter, signed by several party leaders including Dr M Nara Singh, National executive member, CPI and State secretary, L Sotinkumar, the MSC/CPI asserted that the State Government is not able to treat both the non-COVID and COVID patients properly due to lack of sufficient infrastructure and there is need for establishment of a dedicated COVID-19 hospital having at least 500 beds under Central Government funding within the shortest span of time.
With the rising number of cases and increasing death toll, the MSC/CPI said adequate testing kits, ventilators and other required equipment should be provided to the State through the ICMR and other Central Government agencies. Also, more Central funding should be provided and special attention should be given to the State regarding COVID-19. In addition, the Union Health Ministry should monitor the COVID-19 related developments and funding in a prompt and transparent manner, it said.
Further, the Union Government should disclose how much funds have been given to the State for containing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centre should also help and encourage fund raising activities through the Manipuri diaspora residing abroad, said the party.
Meanwhile, speaking to media persons at Irawat Bhawan, MSC/CPI secretary L Sotinkumar condemned political parties for flouting COVID-19 SOPs during election campaign and stated that the State may see a sharp rise in the number of positive cases after the November 7 by-elections at four Assembly Constituencies.
If the State sees a sharp rise in the number of cases in November, the present manpower and infrastructure at hospitals will not be enough to effectively treat COVID-19 patients and there may be a surge in the number of deaths, he said.
To effectively counter and control such a situation, Sotinkumar said the State needs proper and adequate number of beds, ventilators and other required equipment. The meagre number of ventilators at RIMS and JNIMS would not be enough if there is rise in the number of COVID-19 positive cases requiring intensive care, he said.
Veteran CPI leader, Dr M Nara said the party members had met the National team, who are taking stock of the current COVID-19 situation and urged them to take up prompt actions to control the pandemic early. The party members apprised the team about the need for a Centrally funded dedicated COVID-19 hospital in the State, he said.
There have been cases of cross infections at health institutions. To streamline the treatment of COVID-19 and non-COVID patients and avoid cross infections, Dr Nara said the State needs a dedicated COVID-19 hospital having at least 500 beds with adequate number of ventilators and other support systems. Even though Chief Minister N Biren Singh had announced to establish a dedicated COVID hospital sometime back, there has been no concrete steps so far, he said.