Tura, May 7: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has directed health officials in East Garo Hills to ensure the current number of covid treatment beds with an oxygen facility set up are raised from the current six to 12, in preparation for any eventuality since cases are spiking all over the country and even in the state.
While chairing a review meeting on Covid at Williamnagar circuit house on Saturday, attended by Deputy Commissioner Swapnil Tembe, district officials and health department, the chief minister was told that there are around 23 beds in the covid treatment ward of the Williamnagar civil hospital.
Assessed the #Covid situation in #EastGaroHills & inventoried the health infra including oxygen availability & beds. Urged District Administration & Health Dept. to adopt containment & vaccination strategy in order to limit the adverse impact of the virus. @drharshvardhan pic.twitter.com/0jdhHfs0r4
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) May 7, 2021
When told that 6 beds have been set up with oxygen support for patients who may require such medical care, the chief minister said that it needs to be doubled and directed the health department to ensure installation of 12 beds with oxygen facility at the earliest.
“We have to expand the beds with oxygen facilities to at least 12 so that we are prepared. We are also dispatching an additional 40 oxygen filled cylinders to Williamnagar within the next two days,” said the chief minister.
The state government has also decided to seek the assistance of church leaders and community elders in the ongoing vaccination drive all over the state against Covid.
“The church leaders and community leaders attended the review meeting with us and I have requested them to come and help us in getting as many people as possible to come forward and get vaccinated against covid,” announced Conrad Sangma.
According to the chief minister there are 44 active covid cases in East Garo Hills with one patient in hospital but none in critical condition requiring ICU.