Noklak is the only district in Nagaland with zero Covid-19 case

Longleng has only two ICU beds

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 19 (EMN): Noklak, the 12th and youngest district in Nagaland, is the only district that has zero Covid-19 cases, informed Noklak CHC Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr. Victor on Wednesday.

Although Noklak’s Covid data comes under Tuensang CMO, the district has not reported even a single case of coronavirus. Random sample testing was done on May 17 but the results returned negative.

According to data provided by the state’s Health department, Tuensang district currently has 69 active Covid-19 cases.

Noklak may be Covid-free but its healthcare centres are said to be in bad shape due to manpower shortage and non-funding from the department.  

“The health centre (at Noklak) does not have an anaesthetist to take care of the intensive care unit (ICU),  so if in case there is a serious patient, we have no one to take care of the ICU,” the senior doctor said.

“When this issue was raised with the department, we were told there was no anaesthetist, so the district health centre is likely to move on without an anaesthetist even if there is a serious patient. Adding to this, we have no medical officer at Pangsha Primary Health Centre as the only MO was transferred and no reliever was replaced,” the SMO revealed.

During the first wave too, Noklak went through manpower issue and lack of facilities, he added.

The district, he said, was planning to carry out random testing as they cannot remain complacent with the zero cases.

“We have tendered an application for registration of TrueNat testing in the district so that we have our own data. Once it is registered, we will start with the random testing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Longleng district, which has been witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases in the second wave, has only two ICU beds and 17 beds for Covid cases, which is likely to be increased to 50 considering the number of cases being reported in the district.

Although the cases are increasing, there are less symptomatic cases but the available beds and facilities are not enough for the population, the Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Longleng said.

‘The manpower, so far is manageable although not sufficient; we are managing’, the MS added.