Dimapur, May 24 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) Legislature Party has once again criticized the Nagaland government on the COVID pandemic alleging, “the present dispensation has failed terribly and always a step behind in tackling this pandemic.”
“From mishandling of COVID positive patients during the initial period to remaining complacent in improving the healthcare facilities and only worried about how much money can be accumulated in the name of donation drive and extra taxes on the people, the PDA government continues to remain a paradox thus putting lives of many at risk,” said a press release from Spokesperson of the NPF Legislature Party, Imkong L Imchen.
“Even the pro rata cut of 15% from non development fund of 2020-2021 remains a secret and has not been put out for public consumption... as though collection of one year is not enough, the PDA has decided to increase the cut to 20% in the year 2021-2022,” the Spokesperson stated.
It also alleged that this pandemic has been used as “money minting machine by this unscrupulous government” and urged Naga public to raise voices against such insensitive attitude. “There have been announcements of one or the other about major healthcare infrastructure development in the State, however the seriousness of the government can be grasped by the snail pace progress of it. Nothing is achieved in time as announced and they find one or the other reason to blame for the delay in progress.”
The party also claimed that “designated COVID hospitals in the district of Dimapur are facing acute shortage of oxygen beds and ICUs with ventilators.” Therefore, it demanded that funds raised and received for COVID should be utilized to its optimum, “government needs to step up and take stock of the reality before the eminent third wave hits our State and we continue to remain clueless and directionless”.
Further, “contesting the efficacy of Remdesivir,” the party said that the State government’s spokesperson on COVID-19, Mmhonlumo Kikon has placed “blind faith in it to fight against COVID-19” as per his statement in the press conference on May 24. For a state like Nagaland whose healthcare facilities are at its worst, “the need to encourage the usage of this drug as treatment protocol to COVID patients would be disastrous,” it added.
