RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan.8: Officially, there is no case of omicron in Jharkhand so far but a high positivity rate like in other states suggests it is very much present. The situation has confused a section of health department officials finding them unable to chalk out a strategy to fight the present wave.
Though additional chief secretary (Health) Arun Kumar Singh and National Health Mission director Ramesh Gholap did not agree saying there is no confusion in chalking out strategy as they have set protocol for the same, several doctors shared the problem.
“Once a variant is confirmed, it helps the official a lot in creating the containment zone and micro containment zone besides taking other precautionary measures. Apart from this, it also helps doctors a lot in informed treatment,” one of the health department officials said.
President of RIMS Junior Doctor Association, Dr Vikas Kumar, suffering from Covid-19 also supported these doctors.
“It is true that the protocol for treatment is the same but proper information brings accuracy in treatment,” Dr Vikas said. “Think about the consequences when some research comes suggesting some special post-Covid care for those who suffered from omicron virus,” Dr Kumar said.
RIMS microbiology department head Dr Manoj Kumar supported Dr Kumar saying ‘information about variants makes tackling serious patients easier.’ “Otherwise, there is no problem,” Dr Kumar said.
President of RIMS Junior Doctor Association, Dr Vikas Kumar, suffering from Covid-19 also supported the confused health department officials.
“It is true that the protocol for treatment is the same but proper information brings accuracy in treatment,” Dr Vikas said. “Think about the consequences when some research comes suggesting some special post-Covid care for those who suffered from omicron virus,” Dr Kumar said.
RIMS microbiology department head Dr Manoj Kumar supported Dr Kumar to some extent saying ‘information about variants makes tackling serious patients easier,’ but at the same time he also said ‘right now there is a problem in treatment as the protocol is the same.’
The ACS said supported Kumar saying ‘who is confused’ and quoted the head of RIMS trauma centre, Dr P. Bhattacharya saying ‘protocol for the treatment of omicron is the same and irrespective of confirmation of variant adherence to the guideline at all levels is a must.’
NHM director Gholap echoed the same. “It is difficult to say who is confused. We have set a protocol for the same and we are following that.”
When contacted a senior health department official to know his comment in this matter, he said this is all politics.
“It is true that the state should have the latest knowledge regarding new variants and the Jharkhand High Court is also serious about it and yesterday pulled up the government for delaying the purchase of genome sequencing machine but talking about inability in chalking out a strategy to tackle the present situation is an attempt to find an escape route. Sometimes dirty politics confuses the department, not the lack of equipment. Confusion is the best way to avoid responsibility,” the health department official said.
For genome sequencing Jharkhand depends on ILS, Bhubaneswar and permission to send the sample to NIBM, Kolkata is yet to come. It takes 30 days for a report from Bhubaneswar and so far none of the samples sent there has been tested positive.
EoM
