ICU ward, counselling centre for Covid patients in Dhanbad

Dhanbad: Patliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Wednesday said it is readying a 30-bedded ICU ward for critically ill Covid-19 patients and a counselling facility for people suffering from the virus to cope with infection-related depression.
The district has recorded a total of 3,616 cases of which 689 are active and 2,887 have recovered. Dhanbad district has also recorded 40 deaths, with the highest single-day casualty of four deaths on Tuesday.
The counselling centre, set up in collaboration with the NGO Shubh Shandesh Foundation, was made operational on Wednesday while the ICU facility will be opened from Friday.
Deputy commissioner Uma Shankar Singh said, “All necessary equipment for the ICU have been procured through the District Mineral Development Trust fund and Corporate Social Responsibility fund and preparations are in the last stage for the launch on September 11.”
Two senior doctors of PMCH, including the head of department of medicine, Dr U K Ojha and head of department of anaesthesia, Dr Kameshwar Bishwas, have been handed the responsibility of following protocols issued by the ICMR and the Union health ministry.
Singh said people looking to seek counselling can call at 9508477268 or e-mail at covid19cousellor@gmail.com for appointments.
CEO of the NGO Daniel Ponraj said, “We have a team of 12 professional counsellors who treat people suffering from depression due to Covid-19. The pandemic has left people lonely and without jobs which has adversely affected the mental health of people.”
Ponraj said they are counselling Covid patients at different treatment facilities of the district, including the dedicated covid hospital in Jagjivan Nagar and six other dedicated covid health centres operating from PMCH’s Cath lab, Sadar Hospital, Zonal Training Institute of Railway in Bhuli, Regional hospital of Bhuli in BCCL, Nirsa Polytechnic and Tata Central Hospital at Jamadoba in association with Telemedicine centre.
“We have been provided slots for patients in need at different Covid treatment facilities and we carry out counselling by making calls to the patients at the allotted slots,” he added.