Leader of opposition and former chief minister, TR Zeliang, Saturday said that state could be worst hit post-lockdown with one incomplete testing lab, too little ICUs with ventilators in place in various districts, ill-equipped isolation wards, poor quality PPE for the doctors and nurses etc.
In a statement posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter, Zeliang said lockdown helped stop the spread of virus and contained mass infections, adding that lockdowns were not long term solution to fight the virus. Questioning the preparedness level of the state in a post-lockdown scenario, the LoP said that the state’s “dismal preparedness” to combat the pandemic was pathetic.
He said that lockdown should have served as a period to ramp up state’s preparedness so when the lockdown was the state would be in a position to handle positive cases on its own without having to run for help from neighbouring states.
However, Zeliang said it was “a sad reality” on the ground when it comes to being prepared despite the government’s repeated “well-prepared” claims.
During the Budget Session in the month of February, LoP said he had raised the significance to be prepared for any eventuality. However, he said that the government had with conviction stated that in the house that the State has initiated many measures to tackle and handle the virus. “But the picture today is far from the wild claims made then,” he said.
Former chief minister accused the government of being quick in make announcements and receiving applause, but “slow as a snail” in implementation. “The same is happening with the setting up of the laboratory,” he added.
LoP said the government claimed that lab would be functional at the earliest. However, he said that going by the department assessment, it would not be as early as the initial announcement and could take a month or more before it was fully functional.
He said that the only way to fight against the virus was to ensure that the state can detect the symptomatic patients, test their samples without delay and be able to isolate and care for every positive case and further trace every contact and place them under quarantine and observation.
For that to happen, LoP said infrastructure needed to be in place and good coordination between hospitals and government departments should be prioritised.
Former chief minister also suggested that government needed to work double time to ensure that mass infections did not occur “as a result of their complacency” when lockdown was lifted.
LoP also emphasised the need for providing quality and WHO-recommended protective gears and other medical equipment to the frontline workers. “We cannot dream to be safe, protected and cared, unless the doctors and nurses feel safe first,” he underlined.