Jamshedpur/Ranchi: Prominent Covid-19 hospitals in Jharkhand are a divided lot over the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) advisory on withdrawing plasma therapy.
While Jamshedpur-based Tata Main Hospital (TMH) stopped providing patients with the therapy from Tuesday, Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) has sought an opinion for its expert committee to plan its future course of action.
“Adhering to the ICMR advisory, issued on Monday late evening, we have stopped providing plasma therapy to Covid-19 patients admitted in our hospital from today (Tuesday),” Dr Rajan Chaudhary, advisor (medical services) to TMH, told TOI.
The ICMR had recommended scrapping of plasma therapy from the current treatment protocol of Covid-19 patients stating that it has no significant benefits on the treatment. TMH is the largest hospital treating Covid-19 patients in East Singhbhum and the entire Kolhan division.
Ranchi: In a first in Jharkhand, Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) made operational a Covid-19 ward with 327 oxygen supported beds at its newly built multi-level parking facility on the campus. Another ward with of 128 oxygen beds was inaugurated at the Rims’ old building and a 73-bed Covid ICU facility was commissioned at the hospital’s oncology wing. The three new facilities became functional on Thursday.
“I had an opportunity to visit these facilities while they were being built. The Rims management and the agencies concerned have done a great job. To set up such facilities within 12-15 days is no mean feat,” chief minister Hemant Soren said after virtually inaugurating the facilities from his home in Kanke Road. The parking lot was inaugurated in late 2019, but was lying unused.
RIMS adds 528 beds to double capacity in face of harsh pandemic 128 oxygen supported beds set up at multi-level parking, rest elswhere on campus
Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the largest state hospital, added 528 beds on Thursday to double its capacity, something chief minister said was a result of the state governmen s efforts to ramp up the health infrastructure in the face of a deadly pandemic.
Of the 528 new beds, 327 are oxygen supported that have been set up at the multi-level parking on RIMS campus. This apart, another 128 oxygen supported beds have been set up at the old building while 73 ICU beds have been put up at the oncology department. The new facilities were set up with the support of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), said officials.
Study finds one-third of COVID-19 patients experience neurological symptoms
The research on the short and long-term effects of COVID-19 disease is ongoing. Still, scientists have found severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects the brain causing loss of smell and taste, dizziness, muscle pain, fatigue, and other cognitive impairments. However, it remained unknown why certain people developed neurological symptoms while others did not.
Kameshwar Prasad of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in India and an international team of researchers conducted the most extensive systemic review and meta-analysis of past COVID-19 cases involving any type of neurological complications.
The authors write: