A five-bed isolation ward has been set up in the Palamu Medical College Hospital in the wake of Coronavirus. Each of the 5 rooms has one bed only. This arrangement has been done under the express order of Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Kumar Agrahari, said civil surgeon John F Kennedy.
Kennedy said, “We have kept hand wash and sanitisers in the isolation ward. The people admitted here will be under medical surveillance 24x7.”
About N 95 masks that doctor attending such patients wear, Kennedy said, “We have placed a requisition of 250 N95 masks and we expect to get them in a few days from now.”
Kennedy said, “There is a rush for wearing masks by the commoners. Just wash your hands regularly and in short intervals. Soap can do. Any wash that is germicidal or viricidal can be used. If spirit/ alcohol is used then there is no need of water.”
He said people think that masks can provide protection but they are only useful to the ones who have symptoms.
Following order from Agrahari, the CS on Sunday directed opening of one OPD specially for visitors coming with complaints of cold, cough, sneeze and fever.
Kennedy said this extra OPD is for visitors exclusively having above mentioned symptoms. The regular OPD will work as usual.
Meanwhile senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi speaking to the Pioneer said, “I ask the government to keep its OPD open on Sundays and on other holidays too.
It is a time of health emergency. OPD must work irrespective of days and holidays.”
Questioning the wisdom of isolation ward set up in RIMS Ranchi near the one in which Lalu Prasad is admitted, Marandi said, “It belies logic if any isolation ward gets set up near any patient’s dwelling.”
Marandi further asked the Hemant Soren government to decongest public transport which is too crowded be it bus or auto.
Kennedy admitted that Palamu medical hospital has personal protective equipment, but no sensor thermometer to gauge fever. He said, “Once this hospital gets VTM 9 viral transform medium, we can start swab test of oral and nasal cavities.”
It was a great relief when Kennedy said, “There were 19 passengers who came here in Palamu from countries like England, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Belgium, and were home quarantined for 14 days and 14 out of these 19 are fit and healthy while the remaining 5 who are yet to complete their 14 day home quarantine appear to be good now.
Nine passengers came to Daltonganj from London, Bangkok, Brussels and Singapore, one passenger to Chainpur from Bangkok, one again in Manatu from Bangkok, two in Paton from Bangkok, one from Saudi Arabia in Bishrampur and five in Panki block from Italy, Bangkok and Bangladesh.
An extra OPD for visitors having complaints of cold, cough, sneeze and fever has been started here in the Palamu medical college hospital for which DC Agrahari had set a deadline to get it started this Sunday itself and CS Kennedy sat in its inaugural service with N 95 mask on his face.
Kennedy said people having asthma, high BP must be extra careful as virus attacks more where asthma, high BP exist and where immunity is fragile. He asked people to be alert but panic.