Always keep in mind lessons and experiences gained from COVID-19; take all necessary precautions in preventing, controlling and treating the virus
Nay Pyi Taw August 9
Although the infection rate is declining at present, people must be cautious in their daily lives. All must always keep in mind the lessons and experie-nces gained from COVID-19. They must take all necessary precautions in preventing, controlling and treating the virus, said Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the seventh coordination meeting on COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment held at the meeting hall of the Bayintnaung Villa in Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon.
Also present were Vice Chair-man of SAC Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members Admiral Tin Aung San, Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun, Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein, Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn, Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win, senior military officers of the Office of the Com-
mander-in-Chief (Army) and officials. Prime ministers of Region and State Administration Councils and officials took part in the meeting through Video Conferencing.
In his address, the Senior General said when the third wave hit the country infection rate was high in the late July. The first meeting on coordina-tion meeting on COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment was held under my leadership on 9 June to adopt resolutions on making necessary decisions on virus, prevention, control and treatment in real time and ensuring a quick response. The present is the seventh meeting. Thanks to the daily supervision of the central committee and participation of all relevant officials and the public, infec-tion rate can be controlled to a certain degree.
Global and neighbouring countries are also trying to control the infection rate. The world had over 202 million confirmed cases and over 4.3 million deaths till 8 July evening. In Myanmar, the number of confirmed cases was over 320,000 and the number of fatalities was 11,000. Although infection can be controlled to a certain degree, the country has not reached a safe level. Efforts should be made to reduce the infection rate by half in August. The number of new positive cases must be reduced from 4,000 to 2,000. In the following months efforts must be made to see a further drop in the infection rate. The number of new cases on 1 August was over 3,400 and that on 8 August was over 3,200, which is roundabout 30 percent. Thanks to the efforts, Yangon Region, Mandalay Region and Bago Region saw a sharp drop in the infection rate.
Greater attention must be paid to the regions with higher population density. But areas where infection rate is low also must have awareness. Indicators and figures show a decline in infection rate and an increase in observing the rules in major towns. But in some towns and areas people lack awareness. They should not stay like that. Officials of the respective areas should carry out public aware-ness campaigns at every corner.
Prices of basic foodstuff and common drugs have been rising since the last week. The only two causes are the rise in the cost of production and an imbalanced supply and demand. Prices may rise to a certain level because of the increase in transport cost due to travel restric-tions and labour charges, and they are acceptable. There are attempts to unfairly increase the prices of basic foodstuff and items through hoarding and manipulating. Officials must control the prices. Myanmar is a country conducting farming and producing food. So, it is not natural that basic food prices are rising. Prime ministers of
regions and states and military command commanders are urged to look into the require-ments of government-owned, Tatmadaw-owned, and private-owned agricultural and live-stock businesses in regions and states that are ensuring food sufficiency for the people. They must provide necessary assistance for the continuation of the production process.
As regards the import of virus prevention, control and treat-ment equipment and common drugs there are no restrictions. So, they must be sold at fair prices. There must be sympathy and consideration for the people of faraway places as goods are transported to them via Yangon or other cities. Measures must be taken to send the medicines to the consumers before the expiry date. Thanks to the colle-ctive efforts of government, Tatmadaw, social organizations, well-wishers, companies and individual the problem of oxygen can be solved and adequate amount of oxygen can be pro-vided. COVID-19 will not vanish as variants are emerging one after another. So, more oxygen plants are being erected in advance. People should not lessen their awareness although there is a drop in the infection rate. All must always keep in mind the lessons and experiences gai-ned from COVID-19. They must take all necessary precautions in preventing, controlling and treating the virus.
Then, with regard to measures to be taken for COVID-19, the Senior General said, “ I would like to highlight five points about COVID-19. First of all, this is a disease that cannot be wiped out completely as I just said. Therefore, we need to create a favourable environment. For example, healthy living styles and systems that we must encourage.
This depends on knowledge and education while living standards rely on incomes and so on. Economy must be healthy. The government must earn a lot of revenue in the similar way as the people. Only when the government earns a lot of earnings, can it be able to create a favourable environ-ment like parks and drainage systems. As for individuals, they will be able to create a favourable environment by keeping their house neat and safe from rain and wind. We can create such a favourable environment. It is of utmost importance to create a favour-able environment. It is likely that both the government and the people will have to exert efforts. Second, it is vital that we will have to boost the immunity, health and fitness of individuals. It means that we need to encourage sports to boost the immunity of the people. Another related factor is the abundance of food beca-use they will be strong when they have enough to eat. Only when they are strong, will they have immunity. There is no way to have immunity without strength. It is necessary for them to undergo training to be fit. Only when they take training, will their immunity be boosted. We need to take measures to that end. There-fore, we need to take steps to enable them to eat. To do so, nothing can hinder us from having abundant supplies of food as ours is, as I just said, a country based on agriculture and livestock breeding. We just need to exert efforts. If we take measures to have abundant supplies of food, we will be able to contribute significantly to the health of the people. If we combine this with the favourable environment and can take measures for health and fitness, it will be of great benefits for prevention of the disease. On the other hand, it is necessary to supply sufficient medical supplies for treatments and vaccines for prevention. Both medicines for treatments and vaccines for prevention are essential for the future. We must produce medicines for treatment and vaccines for prevention in the future in the country without fail. If we had to buy them for more than 50 million people all the time, our country could be ruined. Therefore, we must exert efforts to manufacture them domestically. Another factor is traditional medicines, about which many people are talking. At present, the Ministry of Health and medical research corps under the Directorate of Medical Services under the Ministry of Defence are conducting research on traditional medicines in cooperation. These efforts are mainly led by the Department of Traditional Medicines. We need to combine modern te-chnologies and traditional medicines to develop the medicines. There are renowned professionals of traditional medicines in states including Kayin, Kachin and Shan states and there may be many professionals of traditional me-dicines we still have not known. We will invite them to discuss this pragmatically. We use accurate scales for production of medicines scientifically in production medicines. If we can develop medicine scientifically. We are in a position to manufacture medicines for treatment and vaccines for prevention COVID-19 at home. Therefore, I would like to urge all to exert efforts to manufacture medicines for treatment and vaccines for prevention including traditional medicines with a long-term perspective. The fifth point is to take measures to enable the people to earn high incomes as nothing can be done without incomes. They must earn incomes forever. In our country, successive governments said they tried to reduce the poverty rate but the goal has not been achieved fully until now. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the situation has worsened and the poverty rate has risen. Therefore, we will have to take measures to help people to earn incomes. One way of earning incomes is, as I just said, to get money from agri-culture and livestock breed-ing tasks, for which we have favourable conditions. Therefore, I would like to urge state and regional governments to take effective measures from the leading role.”
Afterwards, the Vice Senior General, members of the SAC, union ministers, senior military officers and participants repor-ted on spread of the pandemic in the world, ASEAN countries and Myanmar, falling infection rates, tasks to be implemented for prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19, observance of restrictions as prevention is better than cure, the need to monitor the situation when restrictions are eased because of falling infection rates, treat-ments offered in treatment centres, tests and preventive measures taken for citizens who return from other countries, delivery of vaccines purchased from other countries and va-ccination efforts, vaccination programs for vaccine to be delivered in the future, distribution and administration of vaccines in states and regions, vaccina-tion programs for healthcare staff and volunteers and their families, cooperation with the international community including the ASEAN for COVID-19 assistance, import of oxygen to meet the need, further measure to import oxygen, production and distribution of oxygen at home, measures taken to prevent the emergence of the black market for oxygen and excessive prices of oxygen, training for participants in treatment efforts, distribution of medicines for COVID-19, easing of requirements for import of medicines, current and future supervision of pharmacies, production of medicines in state owned and private factories at home, distribution of medicine to the entire country, operation of relief flights for nationals stranded in other countries and transportation of medical supplies and equipment, transportation service of domestic flights, voyages and trains, cooperation with physicians for developing medicines and vaccines from traditional medicines, appointment of healthcare staff in location where they are needed, awareness-raising programs for health launched on television, newspapers and the media, launching aware-ness-raising programs in the languages of the national races, measures taken to respond to queries of the media in real time, treatments given and production and distribution of oxygen in defence services hospitals and assignment of medical personnel from the Tatmadaw in treatment centres.
In his supplementary remark, the Prime Minister stressed the need to distribute the vaccines that have arrived quickly and continuously for prompt vaccinations. As such, health staff must be prioritized. In developing vaccines and me-dicines for treatment from traditional herbs, cooperation is necessary between the rele-vant ministry and medical crops after firm research. Myanmar citizens returning from overseas must receive systematic testing and those infected must receive effective treatment. Those uninfected need to be sent to their respe-ctive regions and states through help of government officials.
In his concluding remark, the Prime Minister said: “When it comes to vaccination, vaccines must be distributed as quickly as possible. When they come from abroad, they mainly arrive in Mandalay and Yangon. Yangon is the main. But, it is necessary to distribute vaccine doses from them to other regions and states as quickly as possible. If they can be distributed one day earlier for vaccination, there will be benefits one day earlier. Likewise, food and drinks domestically produced also need to be distributed as quickly as possible. Distribution must be effective.
For example, last year in Shan State, that happened. Tomatoes, garlics, cabbages and other vegetables were quickly distributed through cooperation between the state government and the military command headquarters. Private organizations also rendered help. I mean there should not be stockpiles. We need to earn income quickly. It is necessary to work it out. This is the first point. The second point is to use them quickly. Vaccines arrive. They reach in your hands. They will reach the respective regions and states. Then vaccinations must be quick. As I have said, vaccination one day earlier will benefit for prevention one day earlier. Anyway, prevention serves to a certain degree. We can have protection if we get vaccinated. Quick distribution and quick usage are more effective for COVID-19 response.”
He went on to say that as the committee is the highest level organization with a decision-making mandate. Vaccination is quickly required in those states and regions with lowest vaccination rates. Respective regions and states need to work for vaccination with the vacci-nes in hand. Any requirements can be reported to the health ministry and the SAC on a timely basis. In selling medicines for COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment, some pharmacies closed due to some difficulties while some did so for speculation selling their medicines and oxygen at exorbitant prices. Such unscrupulous acts must be checked and exposed in various regions and states for legal action.
Likewise, in regions and states, NUG and PDF members declared as terrorist groups are disturbing the vaccination process and healthcare services. Systematic measures are necessary for national security. As it can harm the national image, systematic and effective measures are necessary regarding the medicine. Organizations concerned need to take supervisory measures to make sure public members buy vaccines and medicines for treatment at right prices.
As for local manufacturing sector, encouragement must be made to ensure continue supply of goods without any shortages. Generally, unbalanced between supply and demand may cause high prices. Those engaging practical work are more important. Therefore, officials in regions and states need to supervise for a balance between supply and demand. As “one can do meritorious deeds only if one’s stomach is filled”, it is important to employ people to earn their income. This is why measures must be taken for food security and create jobs for the people to contribute towards other sectors, the Prime Minister said.
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