Dimapur, April 16 (EMN): Opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) party has asked the health minister, S Pangnyu Phom, to step down on moral ground by accusing him of ‘miserably’ failing to handle the present coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic as minister in-charge. It also asked the chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, to gracefully pave way for an alternative arrangement if he felt it unable to tackle the situation.
To bolster its claim, NPF’s statement through its press bureau has pointed out reports of complaints popping up from nurses and emergency ambulance drivers engaged for Covid-19 duty until the matter was hushed-up or ‘gag order’ issued. It has referred to a letter addressed to the medical superintendent of Covid-19 Hospital Dimapur in which the nursing personnel had appealed for PPE without which they would not attend the virus suspected patients.
Also referring to media reports which quoted the authority as saying, “It is a small matter and it has been resolved,” NPF wonder how the matter could be small when it is a matter of life and death for nurses and every other frontline workers. It has also sought the state government’s respond to the protest of emergency ambulance drivers at Clock Tower who have asked for basic protective masks, gloves, gowns, health insurance, food and lodging.
NPF was also appalled to learn that salary of various categories of officers and staff under the establishment of CMO Dimapur has been deducted for office welfare fund maintenance. It wondered whether such deduction of salary was wise to do in such trying time when health workers are risking their lives fighting against the virus.
“The government must accept the fact that continued remonstrations surfacing every now and then from its own healthcare personnel is a sheer manifestation of the government not doing enough while time is ticking for possible virus explosion,” NPF added.
Meanwhile, NPF has demanded to immediately install a certified quality laboratory and maintain standard operating procedures by trained technicians specialised for the sophisticated Covid-19 test. It added that the state labs, if installed, should properly coordinate with any reputed national institute for confirmatory test.
It has also asked to ensure sufficient supply of certified PPE kits to every part of the state specifically for fighting against the Covid-19 (not for prevention of other disease like HIV/AIDS & H1N1) and ensure availability of all kinds of medicines in all over the state.
It has also asked to sanitise Zion Hospital and declared as safe zone within 24 hours and let the needy people avail medical aid from the Hospital. It further stated that the state government must ensure availability of essential commodities especially in far-flung villages and check the price rise of the essential commodities.