Covid-19: Tuensang district has only 15 PPE suits for healthcare workers

Our Reporter
Dimapur, March 28 (EMN):  While chaos caused by misinformation about the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has gripped the densely populated towns in Nagaland, government officials and civil society organisations in Tuensang district, which is hundreds of kilometre away from areas with proper facilities and infrastructure, are doing all they could to tackle the virus.

The district administration along with the chief medical officer (CMO), police and other organisations under the Tuensang Chamber of Commerce (TCC) are said to have made containment of Covid-19 outbreak, their utmost priority.

CMO of Tuensang Dr. I Moatemjen Jamir told Eastern Mirror that 70 personal protective equipment (PPE) suits have been ordered for healthcare workers.

“We have only 15 PPE suits which is not even sufficient for a day, so 70 more have been ordered for heath workers coming in contact with suspected cases,” said Jamir.

Jamir maintained that getting more PPE suits would also boost the confidence of the healthcare workers and the requirement for the suits would be more if situation worsens.

“There is no cure at the moment so the need to prepare with PPE, masks, sanitisers and ventilators is the need of the hour,” Jamir said, adding that 10 ventilators have been ordered from the directorate.

“The officials have assured that whatever requirements the district needs will be given,” said Jamir.

The president of TCC also informed Eastern Mirror that many organisations and individuals including churches have donated money to the district administration to fight against Covid-19.

“The ENPO, NCS Tuensang team, CBLT, Police Church and many other individuals have donated for fighting against the virus,” said the TCC president.

As on March 28, 611 passengers were screened out of which 152 have been kept in home quarantine, and six have already completed their quarantine period.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Tuensang, Kumar Ramnikant, has informed through a notice that four quarantine centres — Navinn Lodge, KC Lodge, East Wind Lodge and the old Circuit House — have been set up as a measure to prevent and contain the outbreak of coronavirus. The DC also directed Phed field officers to provide water supply to the quarantine centres.

In another directive, the DC informed that any women under the district of Tuensang who face any form of domestic violence, rape or sexual harassment while being quarantined should to immediately report to the One Stop Centre, district administration, women organisations, legal services or the police. The authorities and organisations are to immediately report such cases to Nagaland State Commission for Women, the notice added.