Day: June 2, 2021

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine launced at Pomlum PHC

Shillong Today

Shillong, Jun 2: National Health Mission, Meghalaya in collaboration with the Office of the District Medical & Health Officer, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya on Wednesday launched the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) at a programme held at Pomlum PHC, East Khasi Hills.

S K Sunn, Mawphlang MLA graced the occasion as Chief Guest.

In his inaugural address, Sunn stated that the programme is meant for the mothers and their infants who are the direct beneficiaries.

He urged upon the mothers to not be hesitant but to come forward and avail this benefit. He further stated that with the launching of this PCV, the infant mortality rate relating to pneumonia will be reduced significantly.

In his speech, Ram Kumar, Mission Director NHM Meghalaya, said that this programme is an important one as it is directly related to the maternal and infant deaths in the state.

Kumar also said that based on these factors, a rescue programme was initiated whereby in the last three months, seven out of 11 districts in the state reported zero maternal deaths which is an indication that the state is moving in the right direction.

It may be mentioned that Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children below 5 years of age.

The Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) is available through NHM and will be provided free of cost.

The vaccine is available in three doses; 1st dose to be administered when the child attains six weeks, 2nd dose on the 14th week and 3rd dose when the child attains nine months.

The vaccine is also available in private hospitals at the rate of Rs 3000 per dose.

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Dr. Mukul Sangma: Government should prepare itself for third wave

Shillong Today

Shillong, Jun 2: Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya Assembly, Dr. Mukul Sangma on Wednesday cautioned that learning from the past pandemic, the government should be ready for a third wave and be prepared for an “element of surprise”, even as he felt that the second wave was perhaps flattening.

“We should be prepared to deal with the chances of a third wave coming and which age group will be the likely victims,” Sangma, who is himself a qualified physician, said.

The former chief minister said that since the government is preparing itself to fight the virus it is only appropriate that it should be designed to deal with the third wave, in which the young are likely to be affected.

“Therefore, we are demanding that there should be aggressive vaccination,” Sangma told journalists after visiting the various Corona health centres and hospitals in the city, even as he maintained that the government was in the process of ramping up the infrastructure.

“What was needed more to save precious lives and to generate that kind of confidence among the frontline workers are still in the process of implementation,” the Leader of Opposition said.

Sangma, however, also said that going by the current trend, it appears that the second wave was “slowly flattening” but what is on ground zero in the rural areas is a matter of concern.

He said that during interaction with some village heads, he came to learn that some villagers were down with fever and there was reluctance on part of the people to come forward to get tested, adding that the kind of engagement that was needed with the community (to sensitise the citizens about the virus and the need for testing) was found wanting.

“We cannot have any sense of complacency and we need to have some kind of auditing of every village,” he said and emphasised that there was a need to activate the diseases surveillance system to know what was “exactly happening in every village”.

Terming the current death count due to COVID-19 as “alarmingly high and disturbing”, the Leader of Opposition said that a look at the deaths revealed that the victims died on the same day that they were brought to hospital or within two-three days.

“That means the patients are being brought only after the disease has taken substantial toll on the patient,” the physician-politician pointed out.

Sangma said that this was happening because there may not be enough institutionalized quarantine centres, corona care centres and also due to the home isolation strategy.

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Meghalaya’s COVID-19 cases, deaths matter of concern

Shillong Today
East Khasi Hills DC emphasises on importance of vaccination in meet with commercial vehicle drivers

file photo
Shillong, May 2: In an advisory  Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills (EKH) district of Meghalaya, Isawanda Laloo on Tuesday urged citizens not to ignore symptoms and early detection can help prevent worsening of symptoms and further deterioration.

The DC informed that the number of deaths reported in the East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya is still a point of concern although the total number of cases in the district has been declining in the past few days.

“It is strongly advised that all positive persons or persons not tested, who experience symptoms “must” report their symptoms to 14410 or call in the notified War Room helplines, before symptoms get worse, so that they can be advised on proper medical treatment or be taken to an available facility to prevent worsening of symptoms and deterioration in condition,” the DC mentioned in an advisory.

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COVID 19 UPDATES: 24 more succumb to Covid-19 in Meghalaya , toll rises to 616

Shillong Today
‘Covid-19 cases in the state could be upto 25 times the numbers recorded’

Shillong, May 2: The death toll due to coronavirus in Meghalaya on Wednesday rose to 616 after it reported a fresh 24 fatalities, the health department said in a bulletin.

The state has 6,403 active Covid-19 cases with 532 fresh positive cases.

Meanwhile, the state also records 711 new recovered cases in last 24 hours, with this the total recovered cases reaches 29,578.

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