Shillong, May 19: The National Volunteers Meghalaya has suggested measures to the state government to prevent the further spread of the second wave of Covid-19.
In letters to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, the volunteers laid down advisory measures to extend help to Covid-19 patients. Among the suggestions were to ensure availability of oxygen generation plant in all the districts and increase the number of ICU beds and ventilators in all government hospitals. Vaccination should be available and accessible to everyone residing in Meghalaya.
The volunteers — which include medical and mental health practitioners and legal experts — asked the government to be prepared to increase the supply of oxygen through cylinders and concentrators and ensure availability and supply of medicines like Remdesivir and enough plasma bank in place. They also asked for enough supply of PPE kits.
Mental health, which is an important issue especially during the pandemic, has got little attention from governments and the volunteers want the state to be more equipped in regard to delivering mental healthcare services.
The volunteers suggested that there is a need to improvise the existing mental health services and care in the state. “It is noteworthy that in the current scenario and possible uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a need to increase the number of trained mental health professionals… to deal with the existing number of our Meghalaya citizens who already need mental health services and also especially due to the unprecedented and uncertain nature of Covid-pandemic,” they said.
Citing the example of Mizoram, the National Volunteers Meghalaya said the Meghalaya Bhavans in different cities should be temporarily converted to Covid-19 ICU centres.
“The government has not done anything yet in most of the districts and many died on the way. Like yesterday (on Tuesday), one patient from Nongpoh died on the way to Shillong due to lack of facilities. In Delhi too, nothing has been done to convert the Meghalaya Bhavan to an ICU care centre for Meghalaya patients,” said Daniel Stone Lyngdoh, a legal expert and member of the volunteers’ group.
The new list of National Volunteers Meghalaya was also submitted.
