Gangtok, Aug 24 (IPR): Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang chaired a meeting of the State Task Force at Samman Bhawan today. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary and Heads of concerned Departments, DGP, ADGP, Chairperson and Member of the State Health Technical Committee, and CMO officials.
The meeting was convened to take stock of the present situation and to deliberate on the issues that needed urgent attention, particularly about the recent guidelines received from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the interstate movement of people and vehicles.
After detailed discussion, the following decisions were taken in the meeting:
1. It was directed that suitable action be taken after examining the reply to show cause notice issued to Secretary IT for allowing meetings in violation of guidelines. It was informed that the Police has already registered a case against the concerned IT professionals from outside.
2. Strict action to be taken against the Management of the Pharmaceutical company whose employees (29 of them) had recently fled from the company guest house where they had been kept under quarantine. It was emphasised that the responsibility of ensuring compliance of all the prescribed guidelines by the Central and State Government lies on the management of the Pharmaceutical company.
3. The Three-Member Fact-Finding Committee constituted to examine the recent incidents in CRH, Manipal to submit their report at the earliest.
4. The Health Department to thoroughly examine the reported incidents of medical negligence at STNM Hospital recently and called for immediate action against the defaulter.
5. Keeping in view the surge in COVID-19 cases especially from the Pharmaceutical companies in the State, the meeting decided to identify quarantine centres exclusively for the employees of these companies returning from other States. It was decided that the cost of the accommodation, food and testing should be borne by the company. The same would also apply for labour contractors bringing labour force from other States. In both cases, the returnees should be kept on strict quarantine for 14 days.
6. Movement of Pharmaceuticals employees to be regulated from home to company and back and they should follow strict home quarantine protocol.
7. Returnees who are Sikkimese locals would be screened at the borders and sent for home quarantine if they meet the criteria. A constituency level committee will be set up under the supervision of each BDO to ensure that all the guidelines of home quarantine are adhered to. ASHA workers would be given the charge of taking care of each person under home quarantine with an added monetary incentive per patient.
8. Doctors, nurses, paramedical and sanitization staff will henceforth be quarantined in Government guest houses.
9. In a step towards slight relaxation of movement of men and material, Inter and Intra District movement of vehicles will be allowed from henceforth with the odd-even stipulation. This will, however, not apply to containment zones.
10. Keeping the present situation of COVID-19 in the State, there will be no change in the inter-State movement protocol.
11. The State Government will follow a 5-day working pattern. On Saturdays and Sundays, the only localized movement will be allowed. Inter and Intra District movement will not be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays. Saturdays will be utilized for sanitization of all offices.
12. The Health Department will prepare a non-COVID SOP to facilitate smooth functioning of all non-COVID services in the Hospitals in the State.
13. The TB Building in STNM Hospital which is nearing completion will be converted into a COVID Hospital. The main building will cater to all the non-COVID services.
14. A fixed set of doctors will be identified for COVID duty and the same team will be deployed each time on a rotation basis.
15. Any employee who is identified as the primary contact of COVID-19 patient, he or she shall be allowed for home quarantine only after the due approval of the Heads of Departments from henceforth.
The meeting concluded with the concluding remarks by Chief Secretary Shri S.C. Gupta.