Manipur to take care of children whose parents die of COVID-19

Imphal: Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh has informed that the state government has started a scheme to take care of children who have become orphans after losing their parents to COVID-19.

In a video message on Thursday, CM Biren Singh stated that under the scheme, the government will provide education, food and accommodation and other basic necessities till they attain the age of 18 years.

Singh also appealed the public to reach out to the Childline toll-free number 1098 if anyone came across such a child in the state.

The chief minister also opened CM’s COVID-19 Grievance Cell with an aim to address the distress being faced by the COVID-19 patients, especially those patients undergoing home isolation.

The contact numbers for the Grievance Cell being set up at CM’s Secretariat are 1800-3453-848 (toll-free) and 0385-2440079.

According to Singh, the patients could lodge their grievances to the cell after failure to take necessary steps by the concerned authority after they spoke to the State COVID-19 Control Room.

This COVID-19 Grievance Cell would be manned by doctors, he said.

Also read: COVID-19: Manipur reports 644 more cases, 11 deaths

Earlier, the state government had set up the State COVID-19 Control Room to address the COVID-19 related issues and challenges facing by the public, including doctor consultation, medicines among others.

Highlighting how the drug users are highly vulnerable to contracted COVID-19, CM Biren Singh further informed that the state would arrange detoxification-cum-treatment camp for them.

Singh further stated that May 24 onwards, the state would conduct a COVID-19 test for drug users at the social welfare directorate. Only those who test negative for COVID-19 would be taken to the rehabilitation centre and those with positive results would be referred to COVID-19 care centers, he added.