INR 246.9 cr. sanctioned for Covid-19 related expenses, says Nagaland Health minister

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 5 (EMN): Minister for Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) S Pangnyu Phom on Thursday informed that the state government had sanctioned INR 246.9 crore for Covid-19 related expenses from 2019-20.

Phom stated this in a reply to a starred question posed by MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu on utilisation of funds for Covid-19 during the second and final day of Assembly proceedings on Thursday.

The Health minister added that an amount of INR 127.33 crore was received for expenditure by the department of Health and Family Welfare while the remaining INR 119.57 crore was for expenditure by Home department/ NSDMA and other departments.

He further updated the price rate of equipment wherein PPE suits cost INR 745 to INR 3200 per piece; N95 masks cost INR 350 to INR 750 per piece; surgical masks cost INR 12 per piece; gloves (non-sterile) cost INR 7.50 to INR 20 per piece; gloves (sterile) cost INR 24 to INR 50 per piece and sanitiser costs INR 1790 (five litre), INR 700 (500 ml) and INR 196 to INR 240 (100 ml), while an oximeter cost INR 3942 per piece.

Phom also informed the House that the name of suppliers were: Interlinks Overseas Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi; M/s N A Drugs distributors Dimapur; Kinetic Marketing Agencies Dimapur; M/s Global Infrastructure and Construction Dimapur; M/s Longs Pharmacy Kohima; M/s Aries Enterprise Traders Kohima; Nilachal Healthcare Industries Guwahati, Assam; Jain Laboratory Instrument Pvt. Ltd. Ambala Haryana and M/s Libra International Kohima.

Vaccination is voluntary

In yet another reply to MLA Chotisuh Sazo on whether Covid-19 vaccination was mandatory in Nagaland, the Health minister replied that Covid vaccination was voluntary.

Phom added that facts and information were disseminated to the public and targeted persons, as part of mobilisation/ outreach and sensitisation activities.