With bihar’s health infrastructure in the grip of an increasing number of Covid cases, its ability to treat patients has been further affected as around 500 doctors, nurses, lab technicians and other staff have been infected with it. coronavirus in the past two weeks. In addition, more than 200 police officers have also tested positive in the state.
AIIMS Director Patna Dr PK Singh informed the High Court on Monday that 248 hospital staff are infected with the virus. The court ordered the formation of a two-member team, including the director of AIIMS, and asked it to submit a report on the working conditions and state of health of the doctors and other staff.
Dr Vinay Kumar, President of the Association of Resident Doctors of AIIMS, said: “At least 120 doctors in our hospital have been infected… We had already raised the issue and demanded the rotation quarantine of doctors, But nothing was done.”
AIIMS, Patna, increased its number of Covid beds from 130 to 210 until last week.
Nearly 70 staff are also infected at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), the only dedicated Covid hospital in the state capital. However, the hospital has increased its bed capacity from 160 to 500 beds.
Another leading hospital treating Covid patients, Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) also has around 130 staff with Covid disease.
Bihar has nearly 50,000 active cases of Covid and has recorded around 150 deaths in the past 15 days. The state tested over 1 lakh of samples per day.
Amid complaints of oxygen shortage, Health Minister Mangal Pandey said, “We have received a new supply of oxygen cylinders to replenish the hospitals’ stock.”
Former Deputy CM and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi said he also held talks with Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya to replenish the stock of Remdesivir in hospitals in Bihar.