IMPHAL, Dec 13 - The health authorities in Manipur have started training of trainers for administering COVID-19 vaccines once they are made available.
State Immunization Officer of the Health Department Dr Th Nandakishwor Singh today said that the department has also formed a State Steering Committee, a State Task Force and district and block level committees to chalk out strategies for vaccination.
�We have already started the training of trainers,� Dr Nandakishwor said, adding that �These trainers will train more trainers who in turn would impart training to other health workers and staffs.�
The State-level training of the trainers was held recently while the district-level training of the trainers would be held on December 15 and 16, he said.
He said that the names of healthcare workers of government and private healthcare facilities are being uploaded in the COWIN portal of the Government of India and vaccine carriers numbering around 1000 are being brought to the State.
There are 126 cold chain points in Manipur and these are being continuously monitored both at the State and district levels.
Last week, Chief Minister N Biren Singh had informed that a task force has been formed to identify the first batch of beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccination in the State.
Principal Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) V Vumlunmang had informed that the home isolation team in the State has been strengthened besides taking up other steps such as phone follow-up monitoring, distribution of medicines, etc.
He also informed that thermal screening of returnees or visitors at Mao and Jiribam gates will be discontinued. There has been no death due to COVID-19 in the State in the last 24 hours. The death toll now stands at 322.
Dr Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang, Additional Director and Spokesperson of the Health Department, in a press release, said that 117 persons from the general population and two from the Central Armed Police Force have tested positive for COVID-19 at 15 testing facilities in the past 24 hours.
The new cases from general population were reported from Imphal West (37), Imphal East (53), Thoubal (3), Bishnupur (15), Churachandpur (3), Tengnoupal (1), Senapati (1), Chandel (2) and Kamjong (2), it said. Meanwhile, a total of 102 persons were discharged from 13 COVID care facilities in the past 24 hours, it added.
The cumulative number of positive cases is now 27,155 while the numbers of active and recovered cases are 3,074 and 23,759 respectively, it added. The recovery rate is 87.50 per cent.
The State Health Department has urged the public to self-isolate and contact COVID control room or the Chief Medical Officer for testing if they came in contact with a COVID-19 positive person.
