Government of India responded quickly for people of Nagaland
Setting aside misconceptions of step motherly treatment to the North-Eastern region of India, the present government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is not only talking of “Look East Policy”, but also coming forward to their rescue in times of crisis. It was reflected in New Delhi’s timely response in helping out the people of Nagaland. In this aspect, the Defense Ministry did a wonderful job. Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh responded very quickly to a call from Nagaland Governor Shri R. N Ravi to send equipments to set up BSL (Bio Safety Laboratory) facilities in the state to combat Covid19. The Nagaland Governor contacted the Defence Minister for help, and Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh immediately responded by instructing the Indian Air Force to airlift the necessary equipments from Mumbai to Dimapur overnight.
Nagaland Governor Shri R. N Ravi thanks Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, and expressed his gratitude for his quick response in airlifting necessary equipments for testing suspected COVID19 samples in Nagaland.
The Government of India’s Defence Ministry very promptly and quickly responded to the call of Nagaland Governor Shri R. N Ravi and made necessary arrangements to airlift equipments requested by the Governor. The equipments were airlifted from Mumbai to Dimapur by an Indian Air Force aeroplane. These equipments are necessary to set up BSL (Bio Safety Laboratory) facilities for testing suspected COVID19 samples in Nagaland.
The Raj Bhavan Kohima @KohimaRaj tweeted- Governor of Nagaland RN Ravi thanked Shri @rajnathsingh the Defense Minister for promptly responding to his request and ordering equipments from Mumbai to Dimapur by Airforce plane to set up BSL Lab for testing suspected Covid19 samples in the state.
2:50 PM – Apr 14, 2020
As per information available, the first consignment of equipments to set up the BSL 3 and BSL 2 labs for testing suspected Covid19 samples has arrived in Dimapur on 15th of April. According to the Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Gon Menukhol John, the Bio Safety Laboratories- a BSL-3 lab to be set up at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima and BSL-2 lab to be set up at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Dimapur, for testing suspected Covid19 samples.
Nagaland Governor R. N Ravi earlier addressed the people of Nagaland on Covid-19, and said, at present Nagaland do not have testing facility for Corona. Suspected samples are being sent to Guwahati, Assam. As a result, Nagaland has not been able to do the required number of test so that the state can have an objective assessment of Covid-19 situation in the state. Ministry of Health, Government of India and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) are providing assistance to the state.
Along with the arrival of the equipments, experts also arrived in Nagaland to set up the labs, and training to local health staff is going on to operate the lab and do the tests. Apart from this, Indian Air Force delivered PPE kits to Nagaland on 2-3 occasions.
