Imphal: Manipur Congress Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Thursday asked the BJP-led government in the centre and the state to proactively and transparently work to help Covid patients as Covid cases keep increasing in the state.
Congress spokesperson, in Manipur, Ningombam Bupenda Meitei, addressing a virtual press conference from Congress office here Thursday said the BJP government inaugurated the existing TB (Tuberculosis)
Hospital as Covid hospital. It is not clear if it will be a temporary one or dedicated as a TB Hospital to the people, he said. The conversion of the hospital proves the claim of CLP Leader & Opposition Leader O. Ibobi that the BJP government will not be able to finish inaugurating all the programmes of the previous Congress government in five years, he added.
He said the government seems to be waiting for direction from the Supreme Court as many PILs were heard in the Supreme Court and High Courts to ensure the fundamental rights, in the form of Article 21, Right to Life, for Covid patients during covid pandemic. Before the Court intervenes the central government and the BJP government in the state should proactively tackle the second wave of Covid he added.
He said Dr R.K. Ranjan, MP, asked about the works done by the Congress to fight Pandemic. He said it is the Constitutional obligations of the ruling Government in the state to proactively fight, by taking along with all the stakeholders, including listening to the Opposition, in the fight against the Covid pandemic, instead of blaming the Opposition.
MPCC President K. Govindas had already written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the means to handle the Pandemic.
Covid patients should be provided free treatment, and the decision of the government to cap the costs of treatment in private hospitals will not be possible to give the dignity of life to the poor and the needy during war like situation in covid pandemic it was stated.
Under the health schemes, PMJAY & CMHT how many people were treated in the first wave and can both the schemes be availed by the same individual, it was asked.
Poor people can’t get treatment in private hospitals and PPE kit costs are not controlled and the rate fixed by the government to provide Remdesivir at Rs. 3,400 is too high, it was stated. The four doses of Remdesivir were available in the black, patients even forced to pay Rs one lakh. Death certificates should indicate Covid or not enable the family to pursue assistance or relief it as stated.
Under Section 12(iii) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, every family whose member died due to disaster is entitled to ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh. And, the Ministry of Home Affairs, keeping in mind section 12 (iii) of the Act, had issued an order April 8, 2015, by which a revised list of norms and assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund and National Disaster Response Fund was given.
Since COVID-19 has been declared as a disaster and as per the order dated April 8, 2015, every family whose member dies due to disaster is entitled to ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh.
Congress demanded assistance to Covid deaths as per Disaster Act. Covid tests were expensive and poor people were not able to come forward for testing. Rates for testing should be controlled, it was stated.
Vaccination activities should be increased and asked if the government has prepared to buy vaccines. Live tracking of oxygen demand, supply and distribution in all the 16 districts of the state, should be done.
It was reminded that Union Minister of DoNER, Dr Jitendra on May, 25 assured all the northeastern to provide the assistance given by Japan and UNDP for installation of Oxygen plants.
Congress wants to know details of the progress of Japan assisted works. It reminded me that in many District Hospitals, ICUs and ventilators were not functioning due to lack of staff or even absence of staff in the hospital.
When will the ICU facilities with ventilators in District Hospitals become functional to treat Covid patients, it was asked.
Last rites of people who died due to Covid should be done with dignity and the SoPs for handling the dead bodies must be publicized. The staff and process of handling Covid deaths need to be looked into it was stated.
