Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and N95 masks was “satisfactory” and requested state Congress president Ripun Bora not to indulge in politics over the issue.

Sarma’s comment came a day after Bora tweeted a health bulletin which said only 264 PPE kits and 975 N95 masks were available in the state to fight novel Covid-19. Bora said the stock was “grossly inadequate”.

Sarma on Friday said the bulletin tweeted by Bora reflected only stock position with National Health Mission office here and not the ones available in medical colleges and hospitals. “We are in a satisfactory state as far as stock of PPE kits and N95 masks is concerned. Within a few days, more stocks will come. There will be no shortage of PPE kits and N95 masks,” he said.

Sarma said as on Friday, 2,000 PPE kits were available at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, 1,000 each at Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta, Silchar Medical College and Hospital and Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, and 500 in Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital here.

“I request Bora to confirm figures from me or minister of state for health Pijush Hazarika before tweeting. If the doctors become disappointed at this time, all our efforts will be wasted. This is not the time to indulge in politics,” Sarma said. He said the doctors can confirm the stock position in the hospitals if they want.

Tripura move

The Tripura government on Friday declared the Nursing Training Institute Building of IGM Hospital as dedicated Covid health centre and New Teaching Hospital of GB Pant Hospital here as dedicated Covid hospital.

Additional reporting by Tanmoy Chakraborty in Agartala