Positivity rate higher than Mum, Ranchi in grip of bed crisis

Ranchi: With the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hitting the state, patients in Ranchi district are finding it difficult to get institutional care as most private hospitals are running short of beds and government healthcare facilities are yet to be ramped up . Of the 6,844 active cases in Jharkhand on Tuesday night, Ranchi accounted for more than 53% (3,665).
The state capital is witnessing a massive surge in Covid, reporting a positivity rate as high as that in Mumbai, which is getting close to 9,000 new cases a day. In the first six days of this month, a total of 15,952 samples were tested in Ranchi, of which 2,763 returned a positive result.
While Jharkhand reported 5.28% positivity rate in the last six days, the same for Ranchi shot up to 18%, the highest among all 24 districts in the state. During the peak of infection between August-September last year, Ranchi’s positivity rate stood between 10-12%. The state capital has so far reported 38,233 Covid cases, of which 34,298 recoveries, 3,264 active cases and 272 deaths.
On Tuesday, TOI found that the state health department’s claim on the number of beds at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) does not match with the figures provided by the hospital. In a statement issued by the health department on Tuesday, it was claimed that Rims has a total of 478 beds for Covid-19 patients, including 252 normal beds, 90 oxygen-supported beds, 88 ICU beds and 48 ventilator beds.
However, Rims PRO Dr D K Sinha said, “Currently we have a total of 88 normal beds, 47 oxygen-supported beds, 45 ventilator beds which will be increased to 100 normal beds and 107 oxygen-supported beds by today (Wednesday) evening. We will also increase the ventilator beds, but will need time to purchase them.”
At sadar hospital, while there are 182 beds on paper, only 122 are functional as the hospital is not being able to operate 60 ventilator beds due to lack of specialist doctors. Central Hospital of Coal India Limited has a capacity of 60 beds and all were found to be occupied on Wednesday.
As per the health department records, a total of 710 beds have been created for asymptomatic patients at Khelgaon. However, Ranchi civil surgeon Dr V B Prasad said, “There are no takers as people prefer to be in home isolation if they are asymptomatic.”
Meanwhile, leading private hospitals in the city said their Covid-19 wards are running on full occupancy. Private hospitals, including Medica, Orchid, Samford, Raj, Maa Ram Pyaari, Medanta, Sentevita and Seva Sadan didn’t have beds for any new Covid patient. “We have a 50-bedded dedicated Covid-19 ward and all beds are occupied. We are flooded with requests for admission and we are admitting fresh patients only when someone is getting discharged,” said Anand Srivastava, advisor to Medica group of hospitals.