VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribag, Nov 28: Good news for Chatra people as the Sadar hospital has started the work to install an RT-PCR machine which will conduct tests for Covid, Chikungunya, Encephalitis, Swine Flu, Bird Flu, Measles, Rubella, Hepatitis B and HIV.
So far, the district sends samples to neighbouring Hazaribag or RIMS Ranchi to get the tests done. Health officials said that two lab technicians have been sent to RIMS for advanced training to handle the RT-PCR machine.
The two technicians are Sanjeet Kumar of Kunda primary health centre and Kamlesh Kumar of Jori centre.
According to sources, after the trouble in conducting the tests and on seeing that it took more than ten days to receive the results from other districts, a request to buy an RT-PCR machine for Chatra Sadar Hospital was made to the state government.
Often, a patient with covid symptoms was hospitalised at Sadar Hospital and had his sample sent to Ranchi or Hazaribag for an RT-PCR test. By the time his/her reports came, the patient used to recover and was released from the hospital.
Therefore, the health department provided a machine worth Rs. 1 crore to the hospital.
District epidemic control officer Dr Ashutosh Kumar confirmed getting the advanced machine. “Even installation work also started,” added he. The lab is coming up in the new building of the hospital.
Sources said by end of December or January’s first week, the machine will start functioning. “At present, we have the TrueNat machine only. Installation of RT-PCR is a big facility for Chatra people,” added a doctor posted at Chatra Sadar hospital.
