Fifth coordination meeting on COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment held, Chairman of State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivers address and looks into requirements through coordination
The fifth coordination meeting on COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment was held at the meeting hall of the Bayintnaung Villa in Nay Pyi Taw this morning, with an address delivered by Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were Vice Chair-man of SAC Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) 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 Health and Sports Dr Thet Khaing Win, Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) and officials. Chairmen of Re-gion and State Administration Councils and officials took part in the meeting through Video Conferencing.
In his keynote address, the Senior General said the goal of the coordination meetings is to fulfill the requirements of COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment undertakings in real time, to make quick decisions for controlling infection and to provide all necessary things. The number of positive cases worldwide till 25 July is over 194 million and Myanmar has over 260,000 confirmed cases. Day by day results in July indicate a drop in the infection rate. But travel restrictions are required to control infection rate. People should stay away from making unnecessary trips. Quick action is needed in giving the available vaccines category wise. The domestic vaccine production program must be realized soonest. Some of the shops selling preventive medicines and equipment and other commonly used drugs are unfairly raising the prices or hoarding and closing shops to cause shortages.
So, drug selling business must be put under region/state-wise supervision for systematization. The government permits drug imports without any restrictions. As real time action for this issue needs initiation of the persons directly responsible for it, they must constantly monitor the situation of the respective areas. All medical equipment and medicines must reach the people without delay. One-stop-service is available for the facilitation of medicine import business. So, special care and supervision of the chairmen of region/state administration councils and ministries is required in this matter.
Hospitals and clinics have to decide if visiting patients need hospitalizations depending on screening of their health conditions. As such, officials need to supervise for help and reality through their management. Those who really need treatment must be treated without fail. For necessary administrative matters, region and state councils must divide labour among healthcare staff as well as other department personnel. Success usually comes from
good management. Regarding oxygen needs, systematic management is necessary for pro-duction, import and distribution as there might have been weaknesses in management of oxygen distribution. The whole world is facing difficulties caused by the CO-VID-19 pandemic. When it comes to manufacturing, there have been no restrictions on production of food and drinks. As food is essential, measures must be taken to ensure there is no difficulty at all. Individual production businesses must operate continuously. Mean while, health rules and aware-ness must frequently be raised for public knowledge. This rainy season, there is good rain across the country. It contributes to agricultural undertakings, but preparedness is necessary in anticipation of floods caused by heavy rain. The Tatmadaw, Myanmar Police Force, the Red Cross Society and social organizations must cooperate with each other. They also need to coordinate with the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. It is necessary to practically use equipment purchased for res-cue and relief efforts in times of natural disaster, the Senior General said.
Speaking about vaccination, measures to reduce concern and disaster preparedness, the Senior General said: “The outbreak is decreasing in terms of number. However, I want to say it is not yet a safe situation. This is one point. The second point is that we need to be vaccinated as quickly as possible. Those assigned duties also need help for vaccinations. Another thing is that through management channel, we need to ensure drug stores with a sense of responsibility continue to open and sell their products at suitable prices by avoiding closure or keeping their medicine out of concern. As regards to natural disaster, we have to prepare in anticipation of them. It is not like doing only after a disaster outbreak. We have to take preparedness measures. There were instances in the past. If we do in anticipation through management, we will be able to reduce losses. We cannot deter natural disasters. But we can reduce loss and damage. I want to say we must take precautions.”
Next, the Vice-Senior General, council members, union ministers and other attendees reported on COVID-19 spread in the world and in Myanmar, establishments of more testing centers and systematic measres to ensure no crowds and gatherings as of today, transport of patients in ambulances to respective centers depending on test results, possibility to see more patients as more extensive testing takes place, measures to ensure enough oxygen supply, start of vaccinations today after vaccine arrivals, transport of vaccines to various regions and states by car, by plane and by helicopter, categorization of 12 areas of priority for vaccination, systematic vaccinations in line with the SOP, preparations for smooth import of medicines, medical equipment, oxygen and protective gear for COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment, arrivals of more by land, by sea and by air, preparations for smooth pension and salary withdrawals during public holidays, online sale of stock exchange, broadcasting of news about COVID-19 in ethnic languages also, prompt withdrawal of remaining medicines at the ports and distribution of them to the public at reduced prices.
After hearing the reports, the Senior General pointed out the needs to pay special attention to populous areas and townships in respective states and regions, to cooperate among relevant departments to supply oxygen as soon as possible by closely monitoring the situation to prevent shortages, to make preparations to transport oxygen from its sources to surrounding areas quickly, to cooperate between civilian and military medical personnel in vaccination program, to administer the vaccines which have been received to priority fields in a timely manner, to take measures to get vaccines which have been purchased from India, to consistently purchase vaccines from other countries, to compile statistics to deploy health personnel to respective states and regions, to distribute medical supplies and medicines to prevent, control and treat COVID-19 which have been delivered to ports and airports to the public as soon as possible at reasonable prices, to take measures to upgrade treatment centres to reduce the worries of the public, to supply food and accommodation to staff by relevant councils and to closely monitor the situation to prevent power blackouts to supply oxygen consistently.
As regards the efforts to improve the prevention, control and treatment, the Senior General said, “I especially talk about Yangon Region, which has reported the highest num-ber of deaths, population and density, according to statistics received yesterday. It is followed by Mandalay Region. I am talking about this not to make the public worry but to be careful. The higher the population density is, the greater the oxygen-need. It is said that hospitals there, for example, Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw General Hospitals, are overcrowd-ed. If we cannot admit patients in hospitals, we will have to create places like hospitals on a temporary basis. We have quarantine centres. That is not enough because we need health workers. We need to employ doctors at quarantine centres, places for positive patients and treatment centres without fail. The most important among them are treatment centres. We will add new centres in Yangon and Mandalay if we can. In addition, we need to employ more health personnel in real time. It takes time to report everything to authorities. It is better to make urgent decisions and take urgent action. That is my suggestion.”
Afterwards, the Senior General delivered concluding remarks saying he had already discussed the measures for prevention, control and treat-ment of the pandemic and it was reported that Myanmar nationals from Thailand and China arrived back a few days ago. Despite difficulties, it is necessary to bring back Myanmar nationals who are having hard times in other countries. It is necessary to closely monitor the returnees on flights, voyages and via border gates in order to receive them back and send them to their native regions conveniently. Concerning the imports of medical supplies, the Senior General said it is important to manufacture medicines for household use domestically at industrial zones and factories by taking lessons from the need to import medicines at present. It is necessary to encourage such industries to manufacture high quality medicines.
As regards rising foodstuff prices, the Senior General said it is natural that food prices are rising around the world but it is impossible to accept un-realistically high prices. Prices will rise when demand surpasses supply. It is necessary to take measures to prevent the rising prices of raw materials, high transportation charges and animal feed in livestock breeding. In connection with the travel restrictions, the Senior General said that essential trips have been permitted and it is necessary to take measures to prevent the disruption of commodity flow, transportation and trades between townships. In conclusion, the Senior General urged all to be prepared for relief efforts for natural disasters while making concerted efforts for prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19.