PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Dec 25: It is said that a stitch in time saves nine but apparently the state government is not aware of this phrase. This is reflected in the statement of Ranchi Civil Surgeon Vinod Kumar as he said that the sample of the covid patient which is sent for genome sequencing will come after the patient gets his negative report and in that period he might spread the infection to 20 others.
A total of 34 samples have been sent for genome sequencing to the Institute of life sciences (ILS), Bhubaneshwar, out of which 26 had been sent on December 1 and 8 were sent in recent days, but so far no reports have arrived.
With the danger of the new variation of Covid – Omicron – posing a potential threat the state government is clueless about the Omicron infected person.
On the other hand, Health Minister Banna Gupta on November 30 said that two genome sequencing machines will be purchased, one will be installed in RIMS and the other will be installed in MGM Jamshedpur Medical College.
Additional Chief Secretary of Department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Arun Kumar Singh said that the department is working on getting the genome sequencing machine as soon as possible.
Earlier the BJP termed the JMM government ‘Poster Banner Ki Sarkar ” while criticizing the government for its failure in purchasing a genome sequencing machine required to identify a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron, which is more infectious than its previous variants.
Party state president Deepak Prakash said while a third wave of covid is expected, the government is showing its dilly-dallying attitude by giving statements in the media. He said it takes at least 25 days to get a report from Odisha where samples are being sent for genome sequencing but the government is least bothered about it.
He asked the government to present the roadmap to ensure 100 per cent vaccination by January 15 next year at the time when only 74 per cent of the targeted group has been given the first dose of vaccine.
