Meghalaya has over 600 oxygen support beds, 65 ICU beds and 80,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine as the second wave of the virus sweeps the State.
While other parts of the country are struggling to source oxygen, Director of Health Services, Dr Aman War, informed today that Meghalaya has 609 oxygen support beds and 65 ICU beds and also has its own oxygen plant at Byrnihat. Firms are also supplying oxygen to hospitals manufactured in Assam. Its supply of vaccines, meanwhile, should last for around 10 days.
However, Dr War and other health professionals are of the firm belief that the public must get vaccinated and, in this vein, the vaccination drive will be given a thrust, starting with Shillong (where the pandemic has hit hardest) before heading into other parts of the state.
Even those who are vaccinated, however, must still adhere to Covid protocols, he cautioned. This is because while the vaccine reduces the severity of the disease it does not offer full protection from catching it.
“It (the vaccine) is not a cure but it will reduce the severity,” NEIGRIHMS pulmonologist, Dr Vijay Nongpyiur, said. “But the risk is lower (of getting infected) for those who are vaccinated.” He also said that there is a need to quell negative sentiments regarding the vaccine.
Dr War also informed that the Health Department is speeding up work on the proposed TB Hospital in Umsawli in order to make it a designated Covid-19 hospital if needed. He also stated that the state has 32 invasive ventilators and, with the support of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it will acquire another 54 non-invasive ventilators and it has 75 BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) machines.
Meanwhile, Dr Rajeev Sarkar, an epidemiologist with the Indian Institute of Public Health, said that cases in the state are growing at a faster rate this year than last because people in public places are not following physical distancing to the extent required.
Last year at this time the virus was a new phenomenon, with fear and the strict lockdown making sure that there was little movement of people.
“It is important to emphasise that there is high risk of transmission with people we usually know,” the epidemiologist said.
