Centre allocates ₹1,353 crore to NE as emergency Covid response package

Health ministers of northeastern states briefed Mandaviya on Covid-19 situation in their states and also offered suggestions to combat the pandemic better and speed up the vaccination drive.

Published on: Aug 18, 2021, 08:44:34 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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The Centre on Tuesday allocated nearly ₹1,353 crore to northeastern states to fund their Covid-19 containment efforts after a review meeting with the health ministers of the region in Guwahati.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya also assured regular supply of vaccines to all states in northeast. (HT photo)

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, the special package of ₹1,352.92 crore was meant to strengthen the public health infrastructure in the north eastern states to fight the pandemic effectively and aggressively.

“The fund will assist states to procure medicines, maintain buffer stock of medicines and oxygen and addition of beds including in ICUs in hospitals,” an official release quoted the minister as saying.

Mandaviya assured regular supply of vaccines to all states in northeast to ensure maximum residents get vaccinated within the next few months.

During the meeting, health ministers of northeastern states briefed Mandaviya on Covid-19 situation in their states and also offered suggestions to combat the pandemic better and speed up the vaccination drive.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, “Apprised him (Mandaviya) on Assam’s proactive management of Covid-19 (and) updates on vaccination….we assured Hon’ble Union Health Minister of Assam’s firm resolve to provide best healthcare services to our people”.

Nagaland health minister S Pangnyu Phom highlighted that hospitalisation and mortality rate has reduced in the state because of rising levels of vaccination and requested that the gap between the two doses be reduced to cover more people quickly.

Phom also requested for a timeline to start vaccination of residents under 18 years of age.

Nagaland has set up a Paediatric task force with experts drawn from both the private and public sector to oversee preparedness to protect children from the third wave.

(With inputs from Alice Yhoshu in Kohima)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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