Govt urged to set up testing lab in Tuensang
Aerial view of Tuensang Town. (Photo Courtesy: tuensang.nic.in)
DIMAPUR, APRIL 17 (MExN): The Chang Khulei Setshang, Changsao Thangjam Setshang and Confederation of Chang Students’ Union have demanded the immediate setting up of a testing lab in Tuensang in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to the Nagaland Chief Minister, the three organisations said that “the total negligence” by the government to Tuensang till date cannot be denied.
The organisations pointed out that Tuensang is centrally located taking into consideration of the distance to all the divisions under Tuensang district as well as the Eastern districts of Mon, Longleng and Kiphire.
“Since the inception of the Statehood that is nearly 6 decades, Civil Hospital Tuensang is just in the level of PHC without any sophisticated medical facilities. The State capital and Dimapur, the commercial hub of the State may be considered World Class, a state of the art, but the recent incident has exposed our poor preparedness even in these two cities. It is an understatement to say that the medical health care facilities of the Eastern Districts are at a bare minimum level,” they stated.
Till date, they informed that Tuensang has only one ICU, which is also wholly contributed and managed by the Assam Rifles and the public.
They reminded the government the region’s close proximity to Myanmar, adding that “monitoring the travellers in the boundary is almost impossible as there are many entrances.”
“Besides, districts like Longleng, Mon and even Kiphire is in close proximity to the town. Then we have Noklak, Shamator, Noksen which are entirely dependent on Tuensang for any emergencies in case COVID-19 outbreak. To travel to Kohima and Dimapur it takes at least 8 hours from here and in case of emergency, the patient is likely to lose his or her life on the way,” the organisations stated.
While understanding the enormous pressure the State Government is working under due to the pandemic, the organisations demanded that a testing lab should be set up in Tuensang immediately.
“Here the situation is as such that should there be any COVID -19 case in this part of the state, then the havoc it will create is unimaginable.”
