Jagarnath improves, CM visits hosp to inquire about his health

Ranchi: Chief minister Hemant Soren on Saturday inquired about the health of state education minister Jagarnath Mahto, who is undergoing treatment for Covid-19 in a critical condition at the Bhagwan Mahaveer Medica Superspecialty Hospital (Medica) here. Doctors treating the minister said his condition has improved significantly over the last five days.
Earlier on Friday, health minister Banna Gupta had constituted a medical board comprising senior doctors of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) to assist and treat the ailing minister.
Soren, who was accompanied by Gupta, spent around half-an-hour at the private hospital and met the team of doctors from the medical board and inquired about the ongoing treatment and the well-being of his cabinet colleague.
Talking to media persons after the visit, Soren said, “I inquired about the well-being of Jagarnath ji and have directed the team of doctors to provide him with the best treatment. He was admitted to the hospital 10 days ago after getting infected in a critical condition. He has improved and is responding well to treatment. We all are praying for his speedy recovery.”
Soren said that they had tried to shift Mahto to a better medical centre at the national capital but the doctors have advised against it.
The medical board constituted by Gupta has four doctors from Rims, including the head of critical care unit, Dr Pradip Bhattacharya, senior physician and professor of medicine, Dr Umesh Prasad, senior cardiologist Dr Hemant Narayan and professor of the chest and pulmonary medicine Dr Brajesh Mishra. All of them have been asked to co-ordinate with the consultants of Medica and to assist in ailing minister’s treatment.
Talking to TOI, Dr Bhattacharya said, “We have reviewed the health of the minister at Medica hospital and have suggested a few changes in his medication as his condition has improved significantly in the last five days.”
Senior consultant and medical director of Medica Dr Vijay Mishra is supervising minister’s overall treatment. He said, “We have noticed a slight improvement in his saturation level on Friday night so we have reduced his oxygen supply from 100 to 90% and his saturation levels are maintained. His overall health has also improved and he is eating well, communicating properly and is also reading newspapers. The X-ray as well as pathological reports have also improved. He is responding well to treatment and we are hopeful that he will recover soon.”
Dr Mishra added, “His lung infection has also reduced to 20% and if this continues, I am very optimistic that he will recover soon. Having said that, he will need time as he is still on non-invasive ventilation and severe Covid patients take time to recover completely.”