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Tripura: High Court asks for Covid preparedness report from govt

By Correspondent

Agartala, May 25: The High Court has asked the state government to submit an elaborate report on the state's preparedness for the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic that has already claimed as many as 40 lives and left over 7,000 individuals infected by the deadly disease.

The move has literally baffled the state government as the state has been battling due to acute manpower shortage. Tripura Govt Doctors' Association (TGDA) had already requested the government to appoint new doctors and nurses to manage the pandemic situation in an effective way. Recently, a move was initiated to fill up 160 posts of Medical Officers (MOs) on contract basis even as the over 600 posts of MBBS doctors remained vacant for long years.

While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by Bhaskar Debbara, an Advocate, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Akil Kurehi and Justice Subhasish Talapatra has sought a report from the state government on three points over the state's preparedness, yesterday.

The bench wanted to know status on the arrangement and stock of oxygen in the Covid Hospitals, availability of Covid treatment facilities- medical equipment, medicine, ventilator, protective gears and if the state is ready for triage system (identification of priority in case of massive infection).

In course of the hearing, one more issue came up before the bench- keeping in mind of the Covid pandemic in the year 2020, the Centre had sanctioned two oxygen plants under PM Care fund but it has not been installed till the date. The Advocate General informed the bench that the government has already decided to install oxygen plants in all the eight districts to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply to the patients. "It is expected that oxygen plants will be made functional by next one month", he said.

After giving a patience hearing, the bench tagged the matter with the PIL and asked the government to submit a comprehensive report by an affidavit by next one week, said the petitioner here today.

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