Covid-19: Bihar CM demands more equipment from Centre to ramp up testing, oxygen-supported beds

PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar requested the Centre on Tuesday to provide more equipment to enable Bihar to achieve the target of testing one lakh people in a day along with increasing the number of tests through RT- PCR.
CM made an elaborate briefing on the steps being taken by the state government for Covid management in a video- conference chaired by PM Narendra Modi and attended by chief ministers of 10 states, including Bihar.
Nitish said that the state government was increasing its Covid-19 testing capacity with each passing day and had targeted to test over one lakh people a day.
“We request the central government to provide two Cobas - 8000 machines, which could increase the daily tests by another 7,200. Thus, we will be able to tests 20,600 samples per day through RT- PCR.
The CM also demanded the central government to provide 5,000 oxygen concentrators of 10 litre and above capacity to increase the number of beds with oxygen in hospitals. He also demanded 3000 high- flow nasal cannula to provide oxygen to highly symptomatic patients.
Giving details of the testing being done in Bihar, CM Nitish said that per day 75000 samples were tested in the state, but only 6100 samples were being tested through RT-PCR, which is the most important method of testing.
Giving break-up of various methods of testing, Nitish said: “While 65,000 samples are tested through Rapid Antigen Kit, 6100 samples being tested through RT-PCR, including 4,900 tested in government health establishments and remaining 1,200 tests in private labs. Another 4,400 samples are being tested through TrueNat,” the CM said.
He added: “Efforts to increase testing through RT- PCR is going on and this facility will begin in five more government medical colleges. This will increase the RT- PCR testing capacity by 2300 per day. Also 10 more RT-PCR machines and RNA extractors are being procured, which will increase testing capacity by 5,000.”
He said hundred percent testing was being done in containment zones and such facilities had been set up in relief camps and community kitchens in flood affected areas.
Talking about other measures being taken to fight Covid-19 pandemic, CM said the state has three tier treatment system, which includes 310 Covid care Centres, 150 Dedicated Covid Health Centres and 10 dedicated Covid hospitals in 10 medical Colleges.
“At present, we have 32,124 beds and we are trying to increase it by 70,000. Of total beds, 10,482 have oxygen facility, of which in 2,482 beds are supplied oxygen though pipeline and 8000 through cylinders,” Nitish said.
He said all possible steps are being taken by the state government to help people fight Covid-19 pandemic. He appreciated the help being provided by the Centre in this regard and said Bihar was following the guidelines set by the Centre.
Nitish also thanked the central government for setting up two Covid hospitals of 500 bed capacity each at Bihta and Muzaffarpur from PM Care Fund.