DIMAPUR: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday said that the government is carrying out an aggressive vaccination drive to stop the spread of COVID-19 cases in the rural areas of the state.
He also said that the state government is strengthening the primary health centres.
"The state government's priority is not to allow the spread of coronavirus in the rural areas of the state and for which the government is undertaking aggressive vaccination drive and also strengthening the primary health centres (PHCs)," Rio told media persons on the sidelines of his visit to Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) in Dimapur.
IHM Dimapur is being converted into a 100-bed makeshift hospital for COVID-19 patients.
Rio also said that the government was trying its best for strengthening the health care facilities in the state particularly Dimapur as the district accounts for more than 60 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases in the state.
The state government was trying its best to take care of COVID-19 positive people living below the poverty line, he said.
Further, Rio announced that CIHSR Dimapur was chosen for the setting up of a 176 bed COVID-19 hospital with all required necessary infrastructures because of its reputation, expertise, manpower and minimal treatment cost.
Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) has all the required facilities so when we have another hospital adjacent to that the working system becomes easy, Rio said.
During the day, the CM also inaugurated the 30 bed COVID-19 Hospital at the Nagaland Police Referral Hospital, Chumukedima in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, Ministers Pangyu Phom and Neiba Kronu, Advisors Zhaleo Rio and Mmhonlumo Kikon, DGP P John Longkumer and other senior bureaucrats.
He also inspected the upcoming 75 bed COVID hospital in the same complex and expressed satisfaction with the progress of the work.