OFFICIALS at different levels need to supervise necessary medical examination and protection for returnees from foreign countries in order to plummet the infection rate of COVID-19 in border areas as well as the whole country, said Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the 10th coordination meeting of COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment activities at Bayintnaung Villa in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
In
his opening address, the Senior General stressed that the infection rate of
COVID-19 accounted for 40.82 per cent on 23 July and 40.07 per cent on 25 July.
Efforts were made to decline a half down of the infection rate in August for
the first stage. On 29 August, 3,166 persons of 29,127 persons were approved as
the positive patients in medical examination, accounting for just 10.87 per
cent. It was satisfactory for plunging the infection rate into less than 20 per
cent the government expected. Such success was based on the cooperation of the
people and management of organizations.
Local
ethnic people from Kachin, Shan, Kayin and Mon States and Taninthayi Region who
did not present reports to authorities about their return to home from China,
Laos and Thailand were infected in their native lands. Officials at different
levels need to supervise necessary medical examinations and protection for the
returnees from foreign countries in order to plunge the infection rate of
COVID-19 in border areas as well as the whole country.
With
regard to the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines and the vaccination process, the
Senior General said: “A total of 6.5 million units of vaccine have arrived in
Myanmar from China till yesterday. Of them, 2.5 million units were donated and
we bought 4 million units, totaling 6.5 million units. India donated 1.7
million units of vaccine and we bought 2 million units. So vaccine units
totaled 10.2million units. I ordered the Ministry of Transport and
Communications and the Ministry of Defence to transport these vaccines which
arrived yesterday to regions and states as quickly as possible, depending on
the climatic conditions. Primarily, when the vaccines arrive, regions and
states need to hand over them to townships and grassroots levels under the
management of the region and state governments. If you need heavy machinery,
give requests to us. We’d like to arrange the distribution of vaccines in
real-time. I’d like to note that one day earlier vaccination will benefit the
people better. According to the statements of global countries, vaccinated
persons have better immunity than non-vaccinated persons. It is not totally
said that vaccinated persons will never be infected. But they have lesser
potential for suffering from the disease. Otherwise, they may suffer from the
least impact of the disease. For example, even severe diseases may affect them
with lesser impacts. They will have more convenience with oxygen and medicine
supplies.”
Not
only China and India but other friendship countries Cambodia, Thailand and Viet
Nam donated COVID-19 vaccines to Myanmar. ASEAN pledged to send the medical
supplies to Myanmar soon. As oxygen supply plays a crucial role in treatment,
efforts were made to ensure the sufficiency of oxygen in regions and states.
Officials need to share knowledge with the people for avoiding the loss of
lives in the unsystematic use of oxygen. Hence, it is necessary to manage the
availability of oxygen as well as other medical supplies in all parts of
regions and states. Public healthcare services need to consider the long-term
preparations to meet international standards.
Due
to restrictions in the outbreak of COVID-19, prices of goods were high due to
the increased production costs but dangerous situation on shortages of foods
will not happen in Myanmar. As such, it is necessary to manage the better
process of food supplies for the people in regions and states.
The
Senior General stressed the need for chief ministers in regions and states to
encourage the farming tasks of the people. Successful agricultural tasks can
produce agricultural products for enabling the people to have a better process
of food supplies and increased income, contributing much to battling the
COVID-19.
Then,
the meeting participants discussed implementation of home-at-stay programme in
some townships with high rate of infected patients and easing the restrictions
in some townships with declining the infection rate, systematically medical
examination for those who returned from foreign countries via border gates and
preventive measures against infection of variant virus of the disease,
arrangements for arrival of about 10 million units of vaccines in September and
October, health care for infected health staff and provision of aid for them, creation
of contacts with ASEAN countries, neighbouring countries and international
community to donate COVID-19 vaccines, related medicines and accessories,
vaccination to people from border areas, daily requirement of oxygen,
undertaking of spot check in 53 townships at high infection rate among 129
stay-at-home townships, findings of actual infection rate—2,071 infected
persons among 6,292 persons on 27 August at 17 per cent, 1,478 infected persons
of 17,930 people on 28 August at 8.24 per cent and 1,764 infected one of 3,507
people on 29 August at 5.44 per cent, running of domestic flight, water
transport, vehicles and trains, import of anti-COVID-19 medical devices and
accessories, sending of telephone message on health awareness, broadcasting of
information and educative programmes on prevention, control and treatment
activities for COVID-19, distribution of masks, hand gel and disposable needles
from Tatmadaw factories and workshops, supply of household medicines from
State-owned and private pharmaceutical factories, vaccination, control and
treatment of the disease on WHO website, and sales of medicines from pharmacy
shops across the nation, vaccination at IDP camps.
In
his response to the reports, the Senior General said that relevant ministries
need to bring back Myanmar citizens from Malaysia by relief flight. It is
necessary to supervise the vaccination process with the use of a newly-arrived
vaccine at one unit for five doses. Research and tests must be conducted for
the production of the COVID-19 vaccine. Relevant departments need to cooperate
among them in the prevention of malpractice in the import of medicines under
the FDA approval, and import-substitute foodstuffs must be sold at fair prices
to the people.
In
his concluding speech related to sales of basic medicines at fair prices and
vaccination process, the Senior General said: “Myanmar Chamber of Commerce for
Pharmaceutical & Medical Device (MCCPMD) and some companies directly sell
the medicines. Pharmacy shops are allotted at a site to sell the medicines in
Yangon. Price list of important medicines is expressed in daily newspapers. So,
people are convenient to some extent in buying the medicines. So, I thank the
association for its arrangement. Those from the association arrange the sales of
medicines with goodwill for the people, rather than their interests. Everybody
wishes to do business for having benefit. But the association focuses on sales
of medicines at correct prices to the people without focusing on the benefit.
They do it with goodwill. So, I thank them for their efforts.
It
was reported that infection of the disease declines. We check the figure of
infection, the number of people under medical examination and infection
percentage. It is because it is necessary to take care not of leaving the
fields. Such a process was included in the discussions of the Union Minister
for Health. They are contact persons and some of the persons who were related
to the patients. Some of them return home. So, I have told it earlier. For
example, some people return to their villages in regions and states without
reporting to the authorities. When the infection rate was higher, findings of
medical examination showed that some of the people did not report to the
authorities for their returning and officials did not check them. So, it is
necessary to closely supervise inspection tasks. It is important that
inspection arenas should not be left. Only when we know the correct results
from medical checkups, will the control of the disease be benefited. So, we need
to check many persons.”
Health
staff need to have patience in performing medical checkups on people in a
systematic matter. Health awareness must be raised to avoid careless travelling
as the current variant virus causes high and speedy infection with a high death
rate. Symptoms of the disease must be disseminated to the people. Only when the
infection rate actually declines can the health restrictions be eased. At
present, factories and workplaces are allowed to systematically operate
production under the disciplines. The infection of the disease must be
monitored to ease the health restrictions. Not only the Tatmadaw and Myanmar
Police Force but the people must carry out the security of the health staff. As
oxygen can be produced at home, it is necessary to import oxygen as a reserve
if necessary.
MNA
#The_Global_New_Light_of_Myanmar
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