Gangtok, May 17 (PTI) Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to take stock of the COVID situation in the state, and ensuring proper availability of oxygen.

The meeting, held at Samman Bhawan, discussed issues regarding the availability of oxygen, transportation and prompt assistance to the patients, officials said.

Tamang instructed the Power Department to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the oxygen plant at Makha in East Sikkim.

Similarly, the Transport Department was directed to ensure timely transportation of the oxygen cylinders.

The chief minister directed the officials concerned to deploy the required security and technical manpower for assistance at the Makha oxygen plant and for the constitution of a committee to oversee the proceedings.

Tamang also issued directives to decentralise the COVID management system and deploy health workers in a comfortable ratio -- one staff nurse to look after and treat maximum 10 COVID patients, so that their duty would not result in stress and burden.

He further advised the Health Department to ensure healthy food to the patients and attendants.

A CMO task force has been constituted to be vigilant and help the patients in every nook and corner of the state, Tamang said.

Ministers and MLAs were advised to monitor their respective constituencies meticulously. The local administrations were asked to remain alert regarding ensuring social distancing and preventing gatherings.

The meeting was told that the chief minister was continuously communicating with Union ministers and the central authorities for ensuring an adequate supply of oxygen and other equipment to Sikkim.

The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Ministers, Chief Secretary, Director-General of Police, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and officers of the COVID-19 Management Group, among others.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)