16 Oct
The Ministry of Health and Sports organized an online meeting over holding 2020 General Election in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines and ensuring voting rights of patients, healthcare workers and volunteers yesterday.
At the meeting, Union Minister Dr Myint Htwe said that led by State Counsellor, the Union Election Commission and the Ministry of Health and Sports were giving demonstrations and conducting training on casting votes for General Election on 8 November after drawing up work plans and standard operating procedures.
State Counsellor gave guidance on voting processes after watching the demonstrations of casting votes in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines two times. With the guidance, the ministry is preparing for the polling day, he added.
After holding rounds of discussion with heads of State/Region Public Health and Medical Health Departments, the ministry was formulating guidelines that will be effective on the ground.
The ministry is carrying out the works on ensuring voting rights of quarantined persons, patients at hospitals, and healthcare workers and volunteers who are working outside their constituencies.
Voting processes for them will be announced within the coming days via the webpages of the Ministry of Health and Sports and about 30,000 mobile tablets that were distributed by the Ministry of Health and Sports, he added.
The ministry will distribute the hotline numbers of township, region/state and central levels to staff who will be working at the polling stations.
Deputy Minister Dr Mya Lay Sein detailed about the healthcare workers who will work at the polling booths, reports on investigating the polling stations, and distribution of COVID-19 preventive supplies to the polling stations.
Heads of State/Region Public Health and Medical Health Departments reported on preparedness for the polling day, and discussed voting rights of the patients, healthcare workers and volunteers who are outside their constituencies.
Director-General of the Union Election Commission Office U Khin Maung Oo and officials from election sub-commissions discussed the drawing up of work plans and standard operating procedures for the successful holding of 2020 General Election in accordance with health guidelines, demonstrations on voting processes, assignment of staff at the polling stations, voting rights of eligible voters, advance votes for those who are outside their constituencies, and ongoing tasks.
The attendees made a round of discussions.
MNA (Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)
