YUPIA, Mar 16: Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Pige Ligu convened an emergency meeting here on Monday to discuss the district’s preparedness to tackle Covid-19.
The DC instructed the DMO, the programme officers, the MOs and the field-level workers to “remain vigilant and fully prepared to tackle any possible outbreak of Covid-19.”
DMO, Dr Subu Tasso Kampu, apprised the DC of the district’s preparedness, and sought cooperation from the administration, the police and the line departments.
She informed that training will be imparted to all teams on 18 March at TRIHMS in Naharlagun.
District Surveillance Officer, Dr RR Ronya, presented a brief on the preparations pertaining to screening teams, logistic support, vehicles, and coordination among stakeholders.
Teams comprising two medical staffers and two police personnel have been formed for screening passengers at all entry points of the district, like the check gates in Banderdewa, Kimin, Hollongi and Gumto, and the railway station and the helipad in Naharlagun.
Logistics and manpower requirements were also discussed.
In Lower Subansiri, DMO, Dr Tage Kano, stressed the need to carry out extensive exercise to create awareness on Covid-19 in the district, in view of March being a “period of extensive social engagements and gatherings due to the Myoko festival.”
The DMO said this during a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner (in-charge) Nending Chatung in Ziro on Monday to review the district’s preparedness with regard to Covid-19.
Dr Kano also emphasized on “home quarantine and personal hygiene as the basic and vital measures to curb the spread of the disease.”
During the meeting, the tourist lodge in Old Ziro was identified as a quarantine centre, and the district tuberculosis centre was identified as an isolation ward.
The ICDS deputy director has been instructed to create intensive awareness during the Poshan Pakhwada in the district, while the town magistrate has been asked to check hoarding and black marketing of hand sanitizers and masks, in consultation with the chamber of commerce and the market associations.
The administration will shortly issue an executive order for temporary closure of the weekly markets across the district as most of the vendors come from the neighbouring state, and an advisory on Covid-19 will be issued in view of the Myoko celebrations.
The administration will also carry out an intensive inner line permit checking drive, identify foreign nationals visiting Ziro, and advise the tour operators to send them back.
It was also decided to install scanners at vital entry points to the district, especially at Potin.
The DMO informed, however, that scanners are yet to be made available by the state.
EACs Tame Yajum and Bamin Tarang, DDSE Hibu Tama, AIR Director Hage Tachang, ICDS DD C Thajang, HoDs, and doctors attended the meeting.
In East Siang district, the health department has issued an advisory to avoid public gathering and unnecessary travel to other states to prevent Covid-19 infection.
The department has started screening local people who have returned from other states, and passengers who have entered the district via Ruksin and Pasighat by inter-city train and flight services.
By Monday morning, 142 people who entered the district via the Ruksin check gate had been screened. Some of them were locals who had visited different states in south India.
DMO Dr K Dai said a group of doctors who underwent the state-level training on coronavirus “are all set to conduct phase-wise training for the medical staffs, village-level health workers and anganwadi workers for prevention of the virus.”
The department has advised the people to report any health problems, such as flu, cough and respiratory issues.
The police in Ruksin are interrogating passengers entering the district and collecting their addresses. The state’s helpline number for queries related to Covid-19 is 9436055743.
In Leparada, DC Duli Kamdak convened a meeting with government officers in connection with the precautionary measures to be taken against Covid-19.
The DC informed that quarantine centres and isolation centres have been identified and nodal officers appointed for each centre.
DMO Dr Karik Basar made a PowerPoint presentation on the virus and how it spreads. He also informed about the hygienic steps to be taken.
The DC instructed the officers to advise the public to not panic as no coronavirus case has been detected in the state.
The meeting was attended by all HoDs. (With inputs from DIPROs)
