Minister Alo Libang apologizes for saying Assam to treat COVID-cases from Arunachal’s east

GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh Health Minister Alo Libang has offered an apology for saying that critical patients from the eastern parts of Arunachal Pradesh will be treated at Assam Medical College (AMC) at Dibrugarh in Assam.

He spoke to media that he was being misunderstood and that everyone is an equal in the state. The East-West comment was made so that patients can speedily recover.

He said that he mentioned Dibrugarh until a hospital was ready. But all patients will be brought TRIHMS and that is the priority.

“The matter of treating serious cases of COVID-19 from the State in Dibrugarh or Guwahati is something that was already discussed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu with his Assam counterpart. The hospital of our neighbouring state will however, only look after the serious cases, not the normal cases,” Libang said here on Friday.

The minister said this to allay fear expressed by many organisations in the state capital on probability to bring the COVID-19 positive patient from Lohit district to Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) at Naharlagun, near here, as the hospital has been designated for treating Coronavirus infected people by the state government.

Many organisations including All Nyishi Youth Association (ANYA) had requested the State government not to admit the patient at TRIHMS as it might spread infection to people and even the health workers working in the hospital.

The minister informed that essential medical equipment to fight the coronavirus pandemic like gloves, masks, ventilators, personal protection equipment have reached the state.

“The State’s Health department has ordered sufficient equipment from Gujarat and Maharashtra. Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured us all possible support from the central government’s end,” he said.

Speaking on essential commodities imported from Assam, Libang said the same would be sanitized before being delivered to the public.

“The only way to contain the coronavirus pandemic is to avoid social gathering and staying at home and by following the instructions issued by the government,” he added.

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