Immunity-booster diet missing from Dumka hosp menu

Dumka: Covid-19 patients at the Dumka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) are deprived of immunity-boosting food, which is an essential component for their treatment, according to medical experts. On Sunday, some pictures of the food being given to the coronavirus patients at DMCH which is the same as the one given to non-Covid patients surfaced on social media. Authorities of the state-run hospital admitted the fact but said they were not allocated any budget for food or treatment of the Covid-19 patients.
Some patients at DMCH also complained that there is water scarcity in the hospital’s isolation wards.
DMCH superintendent Dr Ravindra Kumar said, “We have not been allocated any separate budget for the treatment of Covid patients, without which we could not prepare a special diet for them.” He further said, “The government has only sanctioned Rs 50 per day for every patient, including the Covid-19 ones. With that money, we are expected to provide three meals a day for every patient. Rs 50 is not even sufficient for the treatment of the non-virus patients. In that case, how can we prepare a separate diet for the Covid patients ?”
Dr Kumar added, “ We are, however, administering vitamin capsules to the Covid patients to make up for the deficiencies in their diet.” Currently, 20 Covid-19 patients are being treated in DMCH.
Patna-based medical practitioner Dr Kumar Anuj said a diet that gives a boost to the immune system is a prerequisite in the treatment of Covid-19 patients. “Such patients should be given fruits rich in Vitamin C, vegetables, whole grains, high-quality protein and plenty of water,” he said.