Manipur govt. inaugurates third oxygen plant at Thoubal District Hospital

Our Correspondent
Imphal, May 31 (EMN): Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday inaugurated the third PSA (pressure swing adsorption) oxygen plant at Thoubal District Hospital complex and reviewed the Covid-19 situation of Thoubal and Kakching districts.

The newly opened oxygen plant at Thoubal has a generating capacity of 100 LPM (litres per minute).

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister stated that testing in the state had considerably increased in the past days to ensure early detection and early treatment. As such, people should not panic with the possible jump in the number of positive cases, he said.

On the casualties, he clarified that most of the deaths were due to comorbidity. However, the government had been putting in all possible efforts to save every single life, he said, adding that self-treatment at homes without giving necessary information to the authorities or consulting doctors may prove fatal.

Apart from adding 10 more ICU beds with ventilators at Thoubal district hospital, the government would also look into the requirement of more anaesthetists and physicians.

Biren Singh also directed the deputy commissioner (DC) and chief medical officer (CMO) of the Thoubal and Kakching districts to ramp up immunisation efforts. He directed the two DCs to organise district teams for the cremation of dead Covid-19 patients, expressing the necessity to open a Covid Care Centre in Lilong.

Maintaining that it is not the time for negative propaganda, he observed that unnecessary criticism and blame games should be avoided. Instead, people should concentrate on a collective fight to defeat the pandemic, he said. With the dedicated efforts from MLAs, government officials and the general public, the state now has enough stock of oxygen and other medical equipment, he informed.

A host of ministers, MLAs, government officials, and civil society organisation representatives of the two districts attended the review meeting.

Two oxygen plants, one at Churachandpur district headquarters and another at JNIMS hospital premises had been inaugurated on May 26 and 28 respectively.