IMPHAL, June 15 - The All Naga Students� Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Democratic Students� Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Singpanglup (AIMS) have demanded the Manipur Government to �immediately install Covid-19 testing labs in all the districts of the State without any further delay as the number of positive cases among the returnees is increasing alarmingly with every passing day�.
The three students� bodies in a joint statement issued to this news agency on Sunday said that the Manipur Government ought to prioritise the availability of testing labs in all the districts as an urgent necessity in order to prevent community spread of the deadly disease.
�We are extremely disappointed that test results of some districts still require a lot of time for confirmation,� lamented the three students� organisations.
According to ANSAM, DESAM and AIMS, at this pace of testing, the returnees might be discharged from their respective institutional/community quarantine centres before getting the test results, thus increasing chances of community spread of the virus.
�We hope the State Government will recognise this issue and act on this avoidable danger by immediately prioritising this aspect,� the joint statement added.
The three students� bodies also urged the State Government to arrange adequate institutional quarantine centres with appropriate facilities and spacing to avoid transmission during the quarantine period.
�Kindly segregate the newcomers systematically in separate rooms with adequate facilities in the quarantine centres in compliance with specified protocols,� said the statement.
�We hope due caution would be taken in all the quarantine centres, and in this regard we request the State Government to make the officials equally responsible and accountable�.
AIMS, DESAM and ANSAM then expressed their solidarity with all the Covid-19 patients and all the returnees.
�We urge each of you to follow all the SoPs that are in place and cooperate with the authorities and volunteers who have been working unceasingly despite all the challenges,� they added.
The students� bodies then said they thankfully acknowledged all the frontline workers and especially �our doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals and staff for their herculean efforts, which have saved us from any fatality till date despite the positive cases rising to 466�.
They added, �We are also grateful to the police and other line departments that are working tirelessly to ensure our safety and food supply�.
ANSAM, DESAM and AIMS then conveyed their �sincere" appreciation to all the volunteers who have been selflessly assisting the government in different quarantine centres across the State.
�Such exemplary sacrifice has enabled the government to boldly face this pandemic and assist the returnees in the respective quarantine centres,� they observed.
�We fervently appeal for more such volunteers from all walks of life, both for the village and district level to collectively address this pandemic�.
The three students� bodies also appealed to the State government to acknowledge their valuable contribution in a befitting manner.
Last but not the least, the students� bodies urged the taxis and travel agencies to be �more patriotic and supportive� in rendering their services to the quarantined individuals in such difficult times.
�Considering difficulties related to mobility, we appeal to the government to consider this aspect in regard to the returnees after they complete their quarantine periods,� the joint statement added.
