SE Report
GANGTOK: Governor Ganga Prasad today convened the second review meeting here at Raj Bhawan with the State government on the current status and Sikkim’s plan of action against the spread of global pandemic COVID-19.
A Raj Bhawan release informs that the meeting was attended by Chief Minister P.S. Golay, Health minister Dr. M.K. Sharma, chief secretary S.C. Gupta and top officials of the Sikkim government.
The meeting began with the appraisal of latest report and action taken by the State government in view of the ongoing lockdown and its impact on the lives of common man. Sikkim is among the three States in the country with zero Corona positive cases as on April 8 and the meeting deliberated on the possible measures and restrictions to be put in place to keep Sikkim safe.
The Chief Minister apprised that the situation is normal in the State and the government has given utmost priority on equitable distribution of relief material to the intended beneficiaries. Despite some issues of transportation of some essential ration components and sudden rise in the number of beneficiaries during the process of distribution, the government is taking all necessary steps to ease the hardships being faced by the people during lock down period.
Golay also informed that in view of likely extension of lockdown period in the country beyond April 14 in the backdrop of sudden rise in cases of COVID-19 over the last one week, the State government is taking some necessary measures.
The measures mentioned are
* All educational institutions will continue to remain closed till situation normalises.
* Buffer stock of all essential commodities including health consumables is being maintained.
* Government will continue to keep highest vigil at the border checkpoints and restriction of movement will remain in force even if the neighbouring States lifts the lockdown.
* The partial relaxation of lockdown norms if any within the State after the stipulated time will be in line with the guidelines issued by Union government with strict compliance on social distancing.
* Financial assistance has also been extended to non-Sikkimese students currently residing in Sikkim and studying in Sikkim University.
* 55 Sikkimese students who were in facility quarantine at SICUN Assam Lingzey are being transported to their respective homes after completion of quarantine period.
* People of Sikkim have extended full cooperation in government’s efforts in the enforcement of lockdown and have shown highest degree of awareness, resilience and self-restrain.
The Governor urged the State government to expedite the process of setting up of testing lab for COVID-19 in the State so that early detection and treatment of COVID-19 patient in the event of its occurrence in Sikkim.
On this, the Health minister informed that the process has begun and State government has given top priority in establishing the testing facility in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The Governor further suggested that State government should take highest precaution, strengthen its mechanism and its preparedness to tackle COVID-19 to prevent it from entering Sikkim. This has become all the more important since there has been rapid increase of COVID-19 positive cases since the beginning of April. He further urged the government to take the interest and welfare of vulnerable section of the society into highest priority in view of the likelihood of lockdown period getting extended beyond April 14, the release mentions.
‘STUDENTS RESPONDED WITH COOPERATION, DISPLAYED GOOD ETIQUETTES’
PANKAJ DHUNGEL
GANGTOK: Best possible treatment was provided to the 55 students who underwent 14-day quarantine at the SICUN centre, Assam Lingzey, about 20 km away from Gangtok.
The government quarantine centre was manned by Major (rtd.) Dr. Siddhant Basnet currently posted as the MO in-charge for Pakyong PHC. He was aided by senior ANM nurse Chandrakala Das along with Health workers S.Limboo from Assam Lingzey PHSC and Keshav Bhandari from Tareythang PHSC.
Speaking with SIKKIM EXPRESS, Dr. Siddhant Basnet expressed that no student showed any symptoms and had a healthy stay at the SICUN premises.
“After the students were brought, given my additional responsibility in Pakyong, I used to visit the students every morning and evening. The medical needs and health requirements of the students were addressed by our senior nurse and the two multi-purpose health workers. Every morning and evening, thorough general physical examination was conducted, taking their temperature along with their chest osculation. Luckily, no one developed any symptoms as on the initial day we had ourselves come in direct contact with students following the commotion by the locals here in the village. Students were very cooperative; they were from good schools and had good etiquettes,” said Dr. Basnet.
The students aged between 12 to 18 years were at the facility.
“Counselling was done by the Health department officials. The students claimed they were not under any stress and there was no frustration of not being home. They were happy in their stay with recreational activities at their disposal. The department officials also sensitized the students that they were only kept for observation and were not being labelled as being sick. The children were not feeling homesick, they treated me as a mother and we gave adequate facilities to them,” stated senior ANM nurse Chandrakala Das.
Health Education Officer Gyanendra Karki from Pakyong PHC visited the students yesterday, wherein they were sensitized on two occasions.
“These students having come from good educational institutions were also sensitized on how they can play a pivotal role in fighting the pandemic and keeping a check on healthy living in their respective households and even villages in remote parts of the State. They will be under self-quarantine for the first 14 days, but later they can impart knowledge. They have an influence over their villages, we have given our knowledge to them. They have been handed the basic guidelines of self-quarantine and respective medical officers in different PHCs have been informed to take every day reports from the students”, stated Dr. Basnet.
State Quarantine Monitoring Team ranging from technical to bio-medical waste management teams used to come for inspection every day. They have all maintained that the quarantine centre in SICUN has been well managed, shared Dr. Basnet.
He appreciated the collaborative work of various departments to maintain the quarantine facility. “Everyone worked as per their potential, even the cooks were hired from a catering facility as the locals here were initially sceptical about working here. They were not worried about lack of PPE, they treated the students as their own, keeping their health at stake. Cleaners and kitchen workers are the real heroes,” he said.
Apart from the medical professionals, Education deputy director Prabhakar Bilal got himself quarantined to take care of the students.
SICUN CEO Karma Gelay Bhutia and Executive Officer Phadung Bhutia were also stationed here mostly and even if they had to return home, they maintained their isolation.
“It was not a concern of merely Health department but all other departments, and everyone worked here keeping aside their ego. We expect the same from our public as well,” said the officials.
ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES RELIEF, MEDICAL CAMP FOR SIKKIM BORDERING VILLAGES
Staff Reporter
GANGTOK: The east district administration has permitted two vehicles for transportation of essential commodities from Rhenock bazaar to the two border checkposts as a relief for the residents of bordering villages of Kalimpong district.
Villagers of Lingzey, Lingseykha, Chuba, Pithamchen and other bordering villages of Kalimpong district close to the Sikkim side are dependent on Rhenock bazaar for essential commodities.
Keeping in view the difficulties faced by these villagers during the lockdown, DC (east) Raj Yadav on Wednesday granted permission to two vehicles (SK01 D3607 and SK01 PD5555) for transportation of essential commodities from Rhenock bazaar to the border checkpost of Simana Khola and Haticherey, Aritar from April 8 to 15 or till further orders.
Volunteers of Nawa Nirman Pariwar, Kingstone are permitted to transport the essential commodities in these two vehicles up to the two border checkposts. While loading/unloading the essential commodities, the volunteers shall strictly wear gloves, masks and PPEs and maintain social distancing, it was directed.
The checkpost police were directed to ensure that the handing over of the essential commodities is done in a proper and sanitary manner to the two drivers of other side authorised by the Kalimpong administration.
It must be ensured that no person crosses the border during the handing over of the essential commodities. The Rongli SDM was directed to ensure sanitisation of the area periodically.
Meanwhile, a press release informs that the Sikkim government has set up a medical camp headed by doctors at Rangpo checkpost for attending to patients of Rangpo side of West Bengal during the lockdown period. All patients are being extended medical treatment and prescribed medicines are being made available by our team on payment, subject to availability of medicines at Rangpo, informs a press release from the Rangpo SDM.
However, in case of referral to higher institutes, patients will have to be taken to the hospitals within West Bengal, it was informed.
STUDENTS COMPLETE SICUN QUARANTINE, TRANSPORTED TO THEIR HOMES
PANKAJ DHUNGEL
GANGTOK: The 55 students of Sikkim who were put under government quarantine facility in SICUN premises, Assam Lingzey, about 20 km away from Gangtok, were discharged on Wednesday morning following the completion of their 14-day quarantine period. The group of 23 girls and 32 boys were under quarantine upon their return to Sikkim from other States since March 25.
The group was ferried in two SNT buses and two local motor vehicles to their respective homes in various parts of the State.
The students of whom 39 were under Chief Minister’s Meritorious Scholarship Scheme and 16 were under Dr. Ambedkar Merit Scholarship have been requested to observe another 14 days of self-quarantine at their respective homes.
The departure of the students from SICUN was overseen by SDM Tshering Bhutia along with Education director (Scholarship) S.T. Bhutia who was the nodal officer of quarantine centre in SICUN on Wednesday, which marked the 17th day of their entry to the State.
“Yesterday, medical certificates and discharge formalities had to be carried out, keeping in mind that the students were from far flung places like Daramdin so they would not be able to reach home within the restricted time of the lockdown. So we decided to send them this morning, two buses with one ferrying the students to Geyzing while the other will ferry them to Mangan. District officials have been adequately informed to carry out the commute from the district capitals. We have sent two officers in the buses who will be aiding the students to reach home safe and sound,” stated S.T. Bhutia.
The Education director highlighted 21 students studying in Pine Grove School in Himachal Pradesh were being tutored online even during their quarantine period. Other schools such as DPS Haryana have 31 students from Sikkim under the scholarship scheme and The Aryan School in Dehradun, Uttarakhand has three students and their online tutorials are yet to begin.
“The students had recreational activities such as carom and table tennis maintaining a good distance, close contact games like Ludo was not encouraged as per the health protocol with the distance they have to maintain. Televisions were provided”, he stated.
SICUN Chief Executive Officer Karma Gelay Bhutia mentioned that the rooms were ready and the students were able to stay comfortably. “They were happy during their stay, with 55 students and officials spread across 44 rooms in the premises. Each room had single and double occupancy with washroom in every room. Food was aided from various source, we received rations from the government, while other supplies like milk and cottage cheese were provided by Sikkim Milk Union. Eggs were provided by Denzong Agriculture Cooperative Society, while we could get other needs from the market. The students were provided with necessary medical aids such as masks, sanitizers and medicines as prescribed to different students from the Health department. Clothing which the student felt of need after days had passed was provided by the Education department,” he said.
On the disinfectant drive to be carried around the SICUN premises, the CEO mentioned, “Yesterday, the SDM and District Disaster Management Team sensitized on the sanitization. Today, disinfectants are being spread which will be kept for 24 hours across the premises.”sikkimexpress/from, india
