Enough stock of oxygen, production to be started : Manipur CM N Biren

The ambulances were donated by National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) to the State Government.

The Chief Minister informed that there is enough stock of medical oxygen in the State. He said that the State currently has 1098 D-Type cylinders, 242 Oxygen Concentrator Machines and 90 Ventilators. In addition to the existing three oxygen generating units, the Government had given permission for oxygen production to Shija Hospitals as well, he added.

Stating that there is enough stock of Remdesivir medicine as well, the Chief Minister further said that another 1000 vials would arrive on April 25. The Chief Minister further informed that JNIMS currently has 100 COVID beds while RIMS has 52 beds. In addition to this, he said, all the district hospitals and different private hospitals also have dedicated COVID beds.

Maintaining that self-discipline is the only means to get rid of the pandemic, N. Biren Singh also made his earnest appeal to the people of the State to have the sense of responsibility and strictly follow COVID Appropriate Behaviors considering the severity of the pandemic in its second wave.

The Chief Minister appreciated Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and NHIDCL for providing 15 ambulances at this difficult time of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that one ambulance each would be handed over to Kakching CHC, Ukhrul District Hospital, Thanlon PHC and Haochong PHC while the remaining would be kept at the
Directorate of Health Services headquarters for the time being for further handing over to different districts in case of exigency. He also said that NHIDCL has been doing tremendous road infrastructure development works in the State in the past few years.

At the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, the Chief Minister said, the State used to face many issues due to lack of ambulances at many healthcare centres and districts. However, swift purchase of 14 new ambulances by the State Government helped significantly in the effective tackling of the pandemic, he added.

Informing that all the districts have ambulances now, the Chief Minister said that the State has a total of 12 Advanced Life Saving ambulances and 14 Basic Life Saving Ambulances excluding those which were donated by NHIDCL today.

Additional ambulances are being kept for monitoring home isolation patients as well, the Chief Minister said and added that the Government is considering providing more ambulances to the districts from time to time when the need arises.