Nay Pyi Taw August 16
The eighth coordination meeting on COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment was held at the meeting hall of the Bayintnaung Villa in Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon, with an address delivered by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Union of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were Vice Chairman of SAC Deputy Prime MinisterVice-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 Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein, Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn, Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) and officials. Prime ministers of Region and State Administration Councils and officials took part in the meeting through Video Conferencing.
In his address, the Senior General said the ongoing efforts to reduce the COVID-19 infection rate of the third wave by half in August in the country have already been mentioned in the previous meetings. The infection rate was 33.17 percent on 14 July and 40.82 percent in 23 July. On 15 August it dropped to 26.46 percent. Thanks to the efforts of cabinet members, health officials, social organizations and volunteers and the participation of the public infection rate could be reduced by over 14 percent. Efforts will be made to further reduce the infection rate.
Supervisory efforts to protect the people from hardships caused by the rise in the COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment equipment, common drugs and medical equipment have already been stressed. As to reduce the unnatural rise in the commodity prices, supervisory efforts are been made to expose attempts to raise prices through hoarding. And action will be taken against those who are intentionally participating in it. Common drugs will be available at reasonable prices due to the supervisor efforts. As Myanmar is a country producing basic food, the regions and states must control food prices through checks. Prices may rise to a certain level because of restrictions and transport charges, and they are acceptable. But, the practice of excessively increasing the prices must be avoided. As there are hoarding and manipulating with the intention of increasing prices, officials must control the situation through supervision.
The government is making efforts to get COVID-19 vaccines and is distributing them to regions and states on the earliest date. Hence, regions and state must systematically store the vaccines and vaccinate the people as soon as possible. There are contacts of EAOs to launch the vaccination program in their areas. So, officials of regions, states and self-administered division and zones must launch their vaccination program in the areas in accord with the priority schedule of the Ministry of Health.
Schools have been closed due to the COVID-19. But, they will be reopened at the time when the virus can be controlled to a certain degree. District and townships officials should ensure peaceful pursuit of education and carry out maintenance work. As teachers will have to teach the students and stay close to them, they all must be vaccinated. Individuals or companied are already permitted to import the vaccines without any restrictions. But, officials must ensure that the vaccines meet the FDA standard. The government is making utmost efforts in carrying out the virus, prevention, control and treatment undertakings.
Next, the Vice-Senior General, council members, union ministers, senior military officers and officials in attendance reported on arrangements for improving the immunity of healthcare staff, volunteers and sanitation workers involved in the treatment as COVID- 19 cases decrease to a certain degree, providing of healthcare services by health staff and volunteers at the quarantine centers and positive centers, and more awareness campaigns and supervisory measures in the regions and states with highest infection rate.
They also reported on the virus spread and deaths in global countries, 210,961 cases and 10,048 deaths in Myanmar in its third wave of the outbreak, decreasing cases at present, a decline of 36 percent in cases in comparison between the second of week of July and the second week of August, and significant declines in cases in various regions and states—74 percent in Yangon Region, 62 percent in Bago Region, 53 percent in Sagaing Region, and over 40 percent in Kayin State and Ayeyawady Region.
They then explained the COVID-19 preventive, control and treatment measures in the regions with high outbreak, the need to disseminate health knowledge and awareness in the regions having weaknesses in following the rules and disciplines, having contacts with China to get one more million vaccine doses in the coming week and relevant ministries’ efforts to purchase and acquire 24 million more doses as stated in the agreement.
They also reported on the discovery of more variants of the virus in global countries and continued measures to prevent further spread and entry of the mutated viruses, vaccination processes, plans to administer vaccines at IDP camps, arrangements to get the vaccines donated by international organizations, cooperation with ASEAN countries and ASEAN plus countries in getting vaccines and doing research on developing a vaccine from the traditional herbs.
They reported on cash donated by well-wishers for COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment, spending of COVID treatment fund, import of COVID protective medicines and medical equipment and other basic medicines via ports, airports and border gates, dissemination of health knowledge through State-owned TV, radio and newspapers and other media, extended dissemination of health knowledge in ethnic languages and new programmes, boosting of oxygen production to meet requirements, inspection of warehouses storing medicines for speculation that can lead to exorbitant prices and legal actions to be taken against them, reentry of Myanmar citizens abroad, systematic testing on them and transporting of them to their native places.
They then explained transport of passengers and medicines by relief flight, running schedules of planes, ships and cars to ensure transport is not cut off, providing of treatment to COVID-19 patients at Tatmadaw centers and assigning of duties of medical corps, easing of restrictions for smooth and speedy import of medicines, and production of medicines from State-owned and private pharmaceutical factories inside the countries. The Senior General gave a supplementary remark.
Afterwards, the Senior General delivered concluding remarks, saying with regards to infection of COVID-19 in healthcare staff, “ Another point I would like to make is that if healthcare staff are infected with COVID-19, priority should be given to them because they have to work at the frontline and give treatments to sick patients in hospitals. Special medical care should be offered to them as a priority. Care should be given to them not only for treatment but also for consequences after recovery by always registering them. As they are the people who contracted the disease while treating other people, chief ministers of relevant states and regional governments should compile lists of them and provide care. It is also necessary for the ministry to document and provide care to them. Another point I would like to make is that medical personnel from the Tatmadaw have to offer help in civilian health facilities as they are overwhelmed. Treatments, especially for COVID-19, are also given at defence services hospitals. As I just said they are giving treatments to patients in isolation in quarantine centres as well as in hospitals. Exclusive rewards should be offered to them.” “Although the infection rate has dropped almost by half, it is found that the transmission in some townships is still high, according to the estimation of the WHO. Therefore, emphasis should be given to such townships in states and regions in reducing the transmission rate.
In connection with oxygen, sufficient supplies have been provided currently. However, the disease that is breaking out now is one that cannot be eliminated. Oxygen is needed not just for the disease but also for treatments of other diseases. Therefore, it is necessary for hospitals at state, region, district and township levels to estimate the oxygen needs and to supply to other places that need it by setting up links.
It is also necessary to make records of the production of oxygen in plants owned by the state, the Tatmadaw and private entrepreneurs to supply sufficient medical oxygen to hospitals with a long-term perspective. In connection with diagnosis tests, the fewer the number of tests, the lower the number of positive cases. Therefore, it is necessary to know the real situation on the ground in states and regions. It is important that no one is receiving treatments for COVID-19 under their own arrangements without informing health departments. It is very dangerous if such patients transmit the disease to others.
Therefore, I would like to urge responsible officials to disclose such cases properly with special emphasis. Doctors have been deployed to every hospital and the Tatmadaw will offer help if necessary. It is important that every hospital has enough doctors. Responsible administrative bodies are required to offer assistance as much as possible so that they can live and work conveniently. `During the first and second wave of the pandemic, there were difficulties due to lack of preparation in hospitals in the same way as difficulties have arisen due to the high transmission rate in the third wave. It is necessary to draw lessons from such incidents, it is necessary for hospitals to make preparations by considering the population of local areas in cooperation with relevant organizations.
Then, in speaking of necessary preparation for possible disasters to be faced in the present season, he said, “Another thing is that I would like to tell you something about hospitals. Currently, there are many rains according to the present season. As the Vice- Chairman said about that earlier, there might likely be more rains starting the last week of this month according to the weather forecast. So, to avoid flooding at the hospitals, preparation has to be made to improve drainage systemsaround the hospitals. If flooding occurs, it is quite hard to move the patient out of the hospital. It’s quite dangerous too and hard to take such action. Moving healthy people does not matter but it might
be quite difficult to move patients. So, regarding the hospitals, things that could block drains, shrubberies and rubbish must be cleaned. One more thing is that roads and streets are to be carefully monitored for clearance of the way to go in and out. Be prepared always to stand by for emergency rescue action.
I like to tell you not to dismiss your stand-by position until the end of the monsoon. Don’t dismiss it and get all be ready. If needed, provide the emergency rescue personnel with meals, etc. If there might be an expense for it, we will pay for that. We will pay for such expenses for encountering disasters. What we are worried about is that chaos will be experienced when a sort of disaster really happens. Regarding disasters, it is important that there might be difficulties about flooding in the current situation. Keeping this situation in mind, it is needed to make preparations in regions and states. I would like to tell you that it is mainly necessary to make necessary preparations to be able to avoid flooding at hospitals and moving patients out of hospitals.”
Afterwards, the Chairman and Prime Minister said it was needed to make efforts to domestically produce medical equipment on COVID-19 such as masks, face shield, PPE, gloves and other items. Despite domestic production, there are many needs in respect of production of such items. Such items of equipment are mainly necessary for the people. Calculated preparation is needed to be able to produce them upon necessity. Measures are being taken to receive the citizens abroad by all means. It is needed to take the measures systematically without losing sight of them in order that the measure could be continued with momentum. It is alsoneeded to provide the returnees with medical care as much as possible.
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