Bihar govt seeks help of doctors from armed forces to run COVID hospital

PATNA: Amid a shortage of doctors and beds in various Patna-based hospitals owing to the rising COVID-19 cases, the state government, on Monday, sought the help of doctors from the Armed Medical Services of the Indian Army to run hospitals. 

The requisition for doctors was sent to the Defence Secretary in the backdrop of a shortage of beds emerging in many hospitals in Patna.

According to sources from the health department, all the 115 beds at AIIMS were occupied with COVID-19 patients, while out of the 112 beds in PMCH, more than 90% beds are being occupied by COVID positive patients.

And at the NMCH, out of the existing strength of 100 beds, more than 90% beds are filled with patients infected by Coronavirus.

Confirming this, principal health secretary Pratyay Amrit said that the requisition for 50 doctors was sent to the secretary of defence in New Delhi.

“The doctors from the armed forces medical services have been sought to take care of the 500-bed ESI hospital at Bihta,” he said.

He said that all arrangements are being made by the health department to tackle the challenges posed by the pandemic in the state.

On Wednesday, the situation turned worse with 4786 more positive cases reported taking the total count of active case to 23724.

Bihar’s four IAS officers including principal secretary of Home Chaitnaya Prasad and principal secretary of finance department S Siddhartha are among those who tested positive for the virus.

Chaitanya Prasad is admitted at AIIMS while other infected IAS officers are under home isolation. So far, more than dozens of bureaucrats including police officers and 50 doctors have been infected with the virus. 

Nitish Kumar’s Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahani along with one of his security guards was also found to be COVID-positive.