From Bhupen Goswam
GUWAHATI : Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandavi today held a review meeting with health ministers of north eastern states in Assam on the public health response of Covid-19. The Minister arrived in Assam with a central team to review the COVID-19 situation in the region. The minister announced a special package of over Rs 1,352.92 crore for north eastern states to strengthen their health infrastructure to fight the epidemic effectively.
Mandavi said that using this fund can increase health facilities for the states to combat the epidemic more aggressively.The Minister also said that the fund will help states to procure medicines, hold buffer stocks, keep adequate stock of oxygen and construct adequate number of beds in hospitals at district and local level including beds for ICS. The Union Health Minister assured that the Centre will ensure regular supply of vaccines to the North Eastern States so that more and more people can be vaccinated within the next few months. The Union Health Minister also informed that intensive discussions were held during the review meeting in which the State Health Ministers presented their suggestions for better combating the epidemic in the region and for getting vaccination for their people in the shortest time. The Minister appreciated the State Governments of the North Eastern States for their efforts to control the spread of epidemic during the period when the region was affected by the second wave. Enquiring about the potential threat of the third wave in the North-Eastern Region, the Minister had hoped that the State Governments were fully prepared and equipped to thwart the possible third wave in the region.
Enquiring about the potential threat of the third wave in the North-Eastern Region, the Minister had hoped that the State Governments were fully prepared and equipped to thwart the possible third wave in the region. The Minister also informed that the Centre is constantly monitoring the situation of co-operative in the region and is committed to provide all necessary assistance to all states to deal with the epidemic in a better manner. In today’s meeting, Assam Health Minister Keshav Mahanta and ministers of other North Eastern States through brief presentations reviewed the co-operative situation and their strategies to combat the epidemic in their respective States.
