OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh in its fight against COVID-19 installed two new oxygen plants on Wednesday, one at Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) and another one at the Dedicated COVID Hospital (DCH) at Chimpu, near here.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated the plants – with 600 LPM capacity at TRIHMS and with 500 LPM capacity at the Chimpu DCH, in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Health Minister Alo Libang and others.
Speaking after the inauguration of the plant at TRIHMS, Khandu expressed gratitude to UNDP for donating the plants.
The third plant of 300 LPM capacity, also donated by UNDP, is under installation at the Bakin Pertin General Hospital Pasighat in East Siang district which, would be functional soon, Khandu said.
The Chief Minister also informed that another 1000 LPM Oxygen Generator would be installed at TRIHMS soon by DRDO.
"To meet any measure of demand, Oxygen support has been provided to all district hospitals, Dedicated Covid Hospitals and Dedicated COVID Health Centers. This is also being extended to community health centres (CHCs) and selected primary health centres (PHCs) and as standby to some COVID Care Centres (CCCs) to achieve our target of making available 1000 oxygen beds by July end," the chief minister said.
"From 164 oxygen beds as of May 2, we today have 815 beds," Khandu added.
As of date, nine PSA oxygen generation plants are operational - one each of 100 LPM capacity at Aalo, Seppa, Tezu, Tawang, Yingkiong and Ziro. Further, five UNICEF supported PSA plants are in advanced stages of being commissioned and are expected to be operational before July 15 next, he said.
Pema Khandu said that the state government's focus to develop health infrastructure to deal with the pandemic resulted in the establishment of 63 COVID Care Centers; 35 Dedicated Covid Health Centers; 2 Dedicated COVID Hospitals at Chimpu and Pasighat with 33 ICU beds to medically manage and provide treatment for all categories of patients.
"From no Labs capable of testing for SARS-CoV-2, we now have two Rt-PCR Labs, one each at BPGH, Pasighat and TRIHMS and True-Nat Labs in all districts. And for mild home isolation cases, we are providing medical kits and regularly being monitored by 73 Rapid Response Teams constituted for the purpose," he informed.
Lauding the healthcare workers, Khandu credited them for the state's daily COVID test average stands at 3,286 per million of population, as against the WHO recommended daily test per million population of 140.
He said an average of 5,700 daily tests is being conducted currently.
"In the last two weeks from June 10 onwards, we have witnessed a 13 per cent decrease in overall weekly new Covid-19 cases and the preceding one week, around 300 Covid-19 cases have recovered daily from the disease, at an average, bringing our recovery rate to 91.6 per cent," he informed.
In the wake of a third-wave threat, he informed that the state government has constituted a "Core Group of Experts on Covid-19 Surveillance & Containment" for assessment, preparedness and management measures related to possible subsequent surges of COVID-19.
He said paediatricians would be extensively consulted and included in the process as it is speculated that the third-wave may infect people below 18 years. He further informed that 60 CHCs in each assembly constituency, identified in consultation with local MLAs, would be equipped with Indian Public Health Standards basic medical equipment of different types.
Interacting with healthcare workers and doctors at DCH Chimpu, the chief minister revealed that he plans to convert the entire MLA apartments complex into a permanent specialist hospital for the welfare of the people.
He said he would pursue the proposal with the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and all his legislator colleagues.
"Despite many unique constraints and development challenges related to terrain, climate, remote and difficult to access habitations, frequent disruptions in air, road, power, telecommunications links; unknown to rest of the country, save few other areas, if at all; our state has fared well so far," he said.
"Our compliments to the health department, panchayat and municipal members, health-care workers at all levels, police, district administrations, youth associations, community-based organizations, NGOs, social and religious leaders, and above all, people of the state," Khandu added.
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