The Nagaland Health Department has reiterated that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet and urged citizens to be disciplined and continue to follow all COVID appropriate behaviour.
Addressing a press conference at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Department in Kohima on Saturday, Commissioner and Secretary of H&FW, Y Kikheto Sema said the COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented crisis in the lifetime of mankind, which has affected the world and individuals directly and indirectly, a DIPR report stated.
Sema informed that there has been a sharp rise in COVID-19 positive cases in the country in the last four weeks but urged the people not to panic as the current wave is not as serious comparing to the previous waves of the pandemic.
Despite the limited infrastructure, he said the state could battle the first and second waves of the pandemic and also noted that the overall health infrastructure of the state saw a significant uplift, adding that at present the state health infrastructure including manpower has been revamped to a large extent.
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He said that the state has enough bed capacity, both oxygen-supported and ICU beds and informed that at present, there are 97 ICU ventilator beds across the district hospitals, 107 ICU beds, 787 oxygen-supported beds, and 307 normal beds with non-oxygen, besides 200 bedded hospital for acute medical care at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research and 100 ICU bedded at Chumoukedima Police Complex.
To this, Kikheto said that the state is prepared to meet any eventualities with all the facilities available. Highlighting the state’s COVID-19 scenario, the Health Commissioner said the state has so far reported nil Covid case since 11 February this year but, cautioned that one should not be careless.
He said all precautions are in place and several meetings with the health workers are being conducted. Sema further informed that under the direction of the Health Ministry, the last mock drill for public health preparedness was conducted on 27 December 2022, where 85 health units participated, while the next mock drill is scheduled on 10 and 11 April.
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Kikheto further emphasised that the department continue to focus on the 5-fold strategy of test–track–treat–vaccination and COVID appropriate behaviours.
Meanwhile, Principal Director Dr. Vibeituonuo Mepfuo said the BSL-3 laboratory at NHAK is equipped to conduct genome sequencing.
Nodal Officer IDSP, Dr. Nyan said COVID testing is not as how it was in the first and second waves but instead being conducted on an average basis of 20 to 30 COVID tests per day in the state.
