The Manipur government is all set to open a 300 bedded COVID care Centre at Manipur Trade and Expo Centre, Lamboi Khongnangkhong shortly while three more centres will be coming up in different districts.
With the influx of stranded Manipuris back into the state since May, the number of COVID-19 positive cases has been increasing. However, the recovery rate has exceeded active cases from the last few days though positive cases are still being reported continuously.
Considering the increasing number of COVID cases and chances of more stranded population returning into the state in the coming days ahead, the authority concerned had been planning to open up four new COVID Care Centres in various parts of the state.
In an interaction with the Imphal Free Press, team leader of COVID Care Centre, Dr Th Nandakishwor Singh said that the state government has already opened 13 COVID Care Centres so far in various parts of the state.
The authority concerned is further planning to open four more covid care centres at Manipur Trade Centre, Lamboi Khongnangkhong; State TB Hospital, Keirao; Model school Harinagar, Jiribam and Kangpokpi, he said.
He continued that a team of health officials had visited Jiribam on Wednesday to inspect the place where the centre is going to be set up. The people of Jiribam had suggested opening the centre at Model School Harinagar. It is likely that the centre will be set up at the said site shortly as positive cases have spiked in Jiribam since the last few days, he added.
It is expected that the covid care centre at Manipur Trade and Expo Lamboi Khongnangkhong will begin to function within this week. This centre would be largest among the covid care centres that are going to be newly developed, added Nandakishwor who is also the joint director of State Immunisation Officer, Family Welfare Services.
He stated that preparations and arrangement to use State TB Hospital, Keirao as a temporary covid care centre has been almost completed. Whereas for Kangpokpi, it is still under process and will be complete at the earliest, he added.
Including these new centres, the total number of beds in COVID Care Centres will reach around 1,400, he added.
Concerning the number of beds in covid care centres which are already functional, Nandakishwor said that the centre at UNACCO Meitram has 350 beds; District Hospital Bishnupur has 32 beds; RD Wings Lamphelpat has 100 beds; NIELIT Churachandpur has 50 beds; JNIMS Training School, Thoubal has 100 beds; Padma Ratna English School, Kakching has 50 beds.
He continued that Sub District Hospital Moreh has 20 beds; Tamenglong Higher Secondary School has 100 beds; Tribal Boys Hostel, Noney has 20 beds; TK Woodland Resort, Ukhrul has 100 beds; DEIC, Senapati has 100 beds; JNV Chandeli has 55 and Kamjong has 15.
Explaining why more numbers of covid care centres are being opened, he said that though the number recovery rate of COVID-19 has surpassed the active cases more people are still being tested positive. Besides, it is also expected that many returnees are still yet to arrive in the state. This necessitates the increase of covid care centres in the state, he said.
