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Dimapur, May 25 (EMN): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday inaugurated a 30-bedded Covid Hospital at Nagaland Police Referral Hospital, Chümoukedima in Dimapur and inspected other healthcare facilities being taken up in the commercial hub to meet the requirements arising out of increase in Covid-19 cases.
Besides inaugurating the hospital which is equipped with seven ICU beds, five oxygen beds and 15 oxygen concentrators, Rio also inspected the upcoming 75-bedded Covid hospital in the same complex which is “expected to be completed within 20 days”.
A doctor from the hospital informed that the facility will be given another generator and a one transformer in a few days. He added that the state government has given approval for setting up of an oxygen generation plant at the hospital though it may take some time.
The chief minister was accompanied by legislators Y Patton, Pangnyu Phom, Neiba Kronu, Zhaleo Rio and Mmhonlumo Kikon; APC Nagaland, DC and Commissioner Police of Dimapur, DGP Nagaland, Nodal officer for Covid-related activities in Dimapur Y Kikheto Sema and officials from Health department.
Earlier, the team visited District Hospital Dimapur, now Covid hospital, and the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plant at the facility, where the chief medical officer and medical superintendent informed that the installation of the project has been completed and would be operational soon after receiving certification for medical use.
The team also inspected the alternative government hospital at Institute of Hotel Management where the government is arranging 100 beds initially to cater to the needs of poor and needy Covid patients free of cost. It was informed that the number of beds would be increased if the need arises.
‘Chief Minister was impressed with the progress and re-iterated that the state government was trying its best to provide maximum healthcare infrastructures in all the districts particularly Dimapur, considering the District being the gateway to Nagaland accounting for more than 60% Covid positive cases,’ stated an update from DIPR.
The CM and his team also visited the proposed site for 176-bedded hospital at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) campus which will be equipped with all healthcare facilities.
Director of CISHR, Dr. Sedevi explained the layout of the proposed hospital to the visiting team and informed that it would take two months to set up the facility once “the MOU has been signed and required material arrives”, informed DIPR.
Rio told journalists that CIHSR will be able to manage with additional resources. Since it has operation theatres and all the facilities, building another hospital adjacent to it will make the working system easy, he added while citing the facility’s reliability and good performance so far.
CIHSR, which has maximum ICU beds and Covid patients, charges less than other private hospitals for medical treatment and so often people from neighbouring states come and get treatment here, he said, adding that it is not run by profit making organisation; but if any profit is made, it would invest within Nagaland.
With more than 60% Covid cases of the states in Dimapur, there are also serious cases needing all kind of medications and some people are staying in ICU and ventilators for more than a month, he shared. Many are dying but many are also surviving, he added.
Should prevent virus from entering rural areas
The CM maintained that the government is channelling more infrastructures to Dimapur knowing the condition of the district, but the virus has spread to all the districts, and there are dead reports everywhere except Noklak district. He added that focus has been given to all the districts as well to ensure that they are equipped.
He stated that Noklak is till safe with no deaths being reported from the district because strict lockdown measures.
‘This virus should not go to rural areas and that is one of our priorities, and therefore we are checking on all the CHCs and trying to aggressively carry out vaccination and so we are procuring more vaccines,’ he asserted.
Rio expressed hope that the government of India will give more vaccines; even if not, “we are going to spend on vaccines because the only remedy is the vaccine”.
‘In government hospitals, especially Dimapur and Kohima, we are trying to take care of the people who are below poverty line,’ he said while appealing to those who can afford to avail healthcare from private hospitals.
Power theft costs state dear
The chief minister also lamented that in 2020 alone, the state lost INR 260 crore from non-payment of electricity bills by the consumers and power theft.
“Public consumers are not paying their bills and every year the government loses,” he said.
Speaking about power supply in the state during the pandemic, Rio said that generator back up is being provided to all the district hospitals and transformers are also being set up in some health facilities.
He admitted that electricity has been a matter of concern during this pandemic but things have improved tremendously.