Govt prepared to tackle second wave of COVID-19: Hek

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 13, 2020

Health Minister AL Hek on Friday said the state government is fully prepared to tackle the second wave of COVID-19.

“We are prepared for the second wave,” Hek, who recently recovered from the viral infection, told reporters at the sidelines of a function, held in the city here.

Stating that the battle against the pandemic is not over yet, the minister said, “Anything can happen anytime and we are praying to God that there will not be a massacre happening in our state.”

The state government has so far spent Rs 399 crore for tackling the pandemic.

Asked about the financial position of the government to deal with the situation, Hek said, “That is why we had gone to Delhi to meet union ministers for getting financial help from the government of India.”

He said assurances have been given that funds will be sanctioned for the state of Meghalaya for better handling of the COVID situation.

On the government’s decision to charge for COVID-19 tests, Hek said the government cannot survive if it has to give free of cost facilities all the time in view of the fact the government is running the state with limited resources.

The minister however reiterated that the BPL families and those referred by doctors for testing have been exempted from payment.