ITANAGAR, Jul 7: Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla today reviewed the Covid situation of the Northeast states and UTs through a videoconference with their Chief Secretaries wherein Arunachal Pradesh was represented by Naresh Kumar.
Apprising the Ministry of Home Affairs about the various Covid combat strategies taken by Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar informed that the state is following a three-tier strategy of extensive tracking and testing, enforcement of COVID Appropriate Behaviour and vaccination drive for all age groups. While informing the Union Home Secretary that Arunachal has so far covered 68% of its targeted beneficiaries (18 years and above) with the first dose, Kumar requested for an additional stock of 3 lakh vaccine doses in order to achieve 100 % coverage of all 18+ beneficiaries by the end of next month.
Regarding inter-state movement, the CS informed that it has been made mandatory for any person to be Covid vaccinated before entering Arunachal Pradesh. There are two RTCPR units in the state and every district has TrueNat machines of appropriate capacities for COVID testing and stress is being given for improving the health infrastructure even in remote areas, he informed. Sharing the details of medical oxygen and Covid medicines, the CS informed that oxygen and oxygen beds have been made available and the state is trying to add another 500 oxygen beds in near future and medicines are also available in sufficient quantity.
On the issue of variation of state’s COVID-19 data with that of the ICMR, Kumar told that rectification will be made within coming Monday. A clerical mistake during data entry has wrongfully projected Arunachal Pradesh as having a high positivity rate of 24% thus prompting a visit by a central team, the Secretary Health had clarified on Tuesday.
Director General of Police R.P. Upadhyaya, Secretary Health and Family Welfare P. Partibhan and State Surveillance Officer (IDSP) also attended the virtual meeting. 
The review came as 45 of the 73 districts that reported over 10 per cent COVID-19 positivity rate in the country over the last one week are from the Northeastern region.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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