9 Dec
Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe held a virtual meeting with Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein and Yangon Region government officials via videoconferencing on 7 December to discuss plans to make the general public adhere to the COVID-19 preventive measures.
During the meeting, the Union Minister said that officials from the Ministry of Health and Sports and health workers are working day and night for COVID-19 response efforts, so they have become tired. The Union Minister pointed out that it is imperative to enhance the percentage of compliance with the COVID-19 preventive guidelines in order to control the outbreak to some extent effectively.
The Union Minister called on the Regions/States governments to effectively oversee the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures and take appropriate actions in order to make the general public adhere to the measures.
The Union Minister stressed that the National-Level Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is also taking into account the socio-economic situations of the people, so it has to ease some COVID-19-related restrictions. After easing some restrictions, it is still vital to continue adhering to the COVID-19 preventive rules in doing businesses, said the Union Minister.
The Union Minister also highlighted the need to raise public awareness for full compliance with the COVID-19 preventive guidelines, provide effective supervisions and take appropriate legal actions against violators. Otherwise, the outbreak will continue, said the Union Minister.
Yangon is a business capital city and has a large population, a large number of factories, the international and domestic airport, and crowded public transport systems, and because of those different circumstances, it is impossible for the Yangon Region to follow the methods used in other Regions/States, said the Union Minister, who urged the Yangon Region government to use the appropriate ways to make the general public adhere to the COVID-19 related instructions.
He said that no matter how good the rules and regulations are if they are not followed by the general public, the rules will be useless.
Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein said that the regional government is trying to balance COVID-19 preventive measures with socio-economic needs of the general public.
He said that awareness-raising campaigns are being carried out in order that the communities in Yangon will effectively support COVID-19 patients and their families in constructive ways.
Dr Zaw Wai Soe, Rector of the University of Medicine (1) Yangon, said that they are working hard for COVID-19 response efforts, and preparing for the “community-based prevention and control of COVID-19 special project”.
Dr Tun Myint, Deputy Director-General for the Public Health and Medical Services Department (Yangon Region), explained COVID-19 response works in the Yangon Region and implementation of the Mask and Face Shield Campaign.
Yangon Region Minister for Social Affairs U Naing Ngan Lin also participated in the discussion.
Deputy Minister for Health and Sports Dr Mya Lay Sein and Permanent Secretary Dr Thet Khaing Win discussed their plans to promote cooperation with the Yangon Region government in COVID-19 response efforts.
Union Minister Dr Myint Htwe delivered a closing speech by saying that the length of the period of the second wave of COVID-19 will largely depend on the fact whether the general public adheres to the rules or not. He said that the impacts would be reduced only if the people follow the rules.
MNA (Translated by Maung Maung Swe)
