SIVASAGAR, March 25 - State Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management Jogen Mohan, today visited Sivasagar and took stock of the situation even as the 21-day nationwide lockdown entered the second day here today.
The Minister had threadbare discussions with the Deputy Commissioner, DDC, SP, Jt Director of Health, Rapid Action Team Nodal Officer and other senior district officers on all the steps taken by the district administration in sending the right messages to the public and the restrictions imposed on public movement. The Minister visited Sivasagar Civil Hospital to oversee the preparations there and found them to be satisfactory.
The medical department in undivided Sivasagar district is doing the rounds to prepare for any kind of eventuality in the wake of the dreaded COVID-19 outbreak. Dr Hemanta Baruah , Nodal Officer, RAT, informed that the team was bracing up to cope with any situation that may arise out of the deteriorating COVID-19 situation.
Talking to this correspondent in his office in Khemka Maternity Hospital at Doulmukh Chariali yesterday, Dr Baruah said that his staff is working hard to arrange for at least 200 isolation cabins and the necessary quarantine facilities in all the hospitals in the district as most of the hospitals lack the necessary infrastructure. He said that the major burden will be shouldered by Sivasagar Civil Hospital, Sukapha Super Speciality Hospital, Urban Model Hospital, Nazira and Sonari Civil Hospitals, ONGC Hospital, Ligiripukhuri Hospital and the CHCs at different places.
Quarantine facility is being arranged in Saulung Sukapha Indoor Stadium (50), Hotel Brahmaputra (40), and Urban Medical Centre (30). The hotels and the tea estate hospitals have also been asked by the Deputy Commissioner to be prepared to accommodate patients if needed. The management of all the 29 Tea Estates have volunteered to cooperate with the medical fraternity in this period of national disaster. Dr Hemanta Baruah informed that a section of unscrupulous suppliers of medical equipment have been charging exorbitant amounts for thermal scanners. Price of a scanner has gone up to Rs 12,000 here whereas the actual price should be Rs 2500. Meanwhile, results of two suspected tests, one from Sonari and the other from Nazira, came out to be negative today.
