Shillong, Feb 2: Meghalaya Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla on Monday said the government is fully alert and prepared to deal with any potential threat of the Nipah virus, even as no cases have been reported in the state so far.
Responding to concerns following reports of Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, Shylla said the Health Department has already been asked to remain vigilant. “As of now, we don’t have any concrete evidence or report of Nipah virus in Meghalaya. I also don’t want to create panic among the public,” he said, adding, “But as a Health Department, we are fully aware and fully prepared.”
On the upcoming National Games, which Meghalaya is set to host, the minister said the state has sought financial assistance from the Centre while also acknowledging its own responsibilities.
“Definitely, the state will expect as much as we can from the central government. At the same time, when we ask to host the National Games, we should also be prepared ourselves,” Shylla stated.
He pointed out that Meghalaya faces financial constraints and has therefore requested support from the Centre.
However, he said the total financial requirement cannot be disclosed yet.
“It is too early for me to share the total amount because we are yet to assess it with other departments. The National Games involve inter-departmental work, so we are still awaiting estimates,” he explained.
Commenting on the recently presented budget, the Sports Minister described it as encouraging but said he has not yet had the opportunity to study it in detail.
“It is quite a positive budget, especially for the Northeast and for Meghalaya. We have seen opportunities under schemes like DASKE,” he said. “As for the nitty-gritty, I haven’t gone through it yet, but I hope it will be really helpful, especially for the sports department.”
The minister’s remarks come amid growing public interest in health preparedness and the state’s readiness to host a major national sporting event.
Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus, usually transmitted from animals to humans, but can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.
Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia. In 1999, an outbreak was reported in Singapore following the importation of sick pigs from Malaysia.
