Nagaland should build pandemic-ready, future-ready healthcare system, says Abu Metha

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 7 (EMN): Abu Metha, advisor to chief minister of Nagaland, stressed on the need to build a pandemic and crisis-ready health infrastructure so that the next generations may not face issues if new pandemic like happens in future.

Metha said this at the launch of "Kelhouzho Kesa", a 15-minute sensitisation film in Angami dialect Tenyidie on Covid-19, at AMK hall on Monday evening in Kohima.

The film produced by Angami Youth Organisation (AYO) reminds the people to live with the Covid-19, pay heed to safety precautions against the virus and also not to stigmatise and discriminate people who have contracted with the disease.

"Kelhouzho Kesa", which means "new norm", was screened after its launch.

Congratulating AYO for producing the film, Metha stressed on leading the way in educating the society for collective effort towards "being future-ready" and coming forward in a positive manner in the common fight against the novel corobavirus pandemic.

"The participation of civil society and mass-based organisations in the Covid battle ensured a unified approach. It exemplified our aspiration for unity...and sent the right message to the outside world. This collective approach ensured softening of the difficulties and lightening of the overall burden," the advisor said.

Although the world was not prepared for the Covid-19 pandemic, some countries and the states that responded better were the ones that had an adequate healthcare system. But in Nagaland, we fell short in many ways, he said.

Therefore, Metha emphasised on the need to strengthen the institutions and "build a pandemic-ready, a future-ready healthcare system". "We now know that every generation could face a pandemic and likewise, our other infrastructures and institutions must be pandemic and crisis-ready," he said.

Mentioning that the world is living in extraordinary times as the pandemic has altered everything, while lifestyles have been turned upside-down and new normal having taken over, he said the entire planet has already undergone a digital transformation.

Stating that social media is now reaching millions with the tap of a small screen in a matter of seconds, Metha said mode of communication has changed. "Through digital platforms, we can reach infinite number of people across continents within seconds," Metha added.

Acknowledging that the lockdown had brought normal life to a grinding halt, he said the global economy is spiralling down. "Jobs were lost, manufacturing stopped, food production got adversely impacted and linkages no longer existed," he maintained.

However, Metha reminded that the other side of the coin offers new opportunities and new vistas at every level with every challenge, every crisis and restriction. He said innovation and creativity are going to be the key for success stories.

"Nagaland will have to change its tourism narrative by going virtual, designing customised holidays, focussing on experiential trips and creating safe bubbles,” he said.

He said the state has huge opportunities in sports and the sports economy, mentioning that multi-billion dollar industry is no longer looking at huge arenas but safe destinations as sports is being played without live audiences yet, reaching millions of eyeballs.

"Our tourism, sports and entertainment industry must be synchronised to tap the new potentials," Metha said.

Despite the pandemic, he said, the opportunities are limitless while citing India, which has 40 million outbound tourists every year, who will be spending approximately 45 billion dollars by 2022 in the tourism sector.

Timely policy-making, planned policy implementation and governance strategy are so important for the economy “of now” and the economy “of the future," he said, adding that technology must be embraced from top-down and reflect the ambition of the youth to compete globally.

"The system must retool rapidly and develop new skill sets," he said.

‘Nagaland must not return to the normal,’ the advisor said, adding that it was "precisely the problem". "This is an uncomfortable statement for many but we have to accept this fact only then can we move forward."

"If we are prepared, the times ahead are bright. It is going to be an incredible decade of innovation and business transformation. The human race is likely to witness the greatest years of massive transformation. We just need to be ready for it and even lead in many sectors," he said.

“New technologies, artificial intelligence, blockchains, augmented reality, progress in space explorations, satellite constellation networks along with 5G will combine to create incredible new products and services. It will revolutionise business operations, elevate human work and serve clients in new ways which were earlier unimaginable. The human being is resilient, adaptable and an innovative species. The future is bright and working together will make brighter," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Kekhrie Pfukha, president of AYO, said that Covid-19 induced pandemic lockdown came into force after the new AYO office bearers were inducted.

He recalled how they were initially hesitant to exercise their responsibilities with the onset of the pandemic. However, he said they overcome their fear and considered themselves to be the "lucky ones" in leading the organisation and serving the society at a time when the whole world was facing the unprecedented crisis.

Since the pandemic is unprecedented, Pfukha maintained that AYO decided to assist the communities with more sensitisation programmes on Covid-19. "Kelhouzho Kesa" was conceptualised to convey a message on the need to take safety precautionary measures against Covid-19, he said.

He informed that AYO had been distributing pamplets on Covid-19 SOPs, which were translated into Tenyidie while public announcement were also made with Tenyidie, Nagamese and English to contain the spread of Covid-19. He added that the second phase of distributing pamplets would be carrying out soon.

Meanwhile, "Kelhouzho Kesa" would be available on Mengu Suokhrie YouTube channel. The production team consists of Dr. Teputo Richa, Megotsolie Dolie and Keduokuolie Pienyü.