Maternity healthcare in the capital got hit again as the government-run Sadar Hospital on Father Camille Bulcke Path near Ranchi Main Road closed its maternity ward on Monday for the second time in less than a week.

The decision was taken after five nurses of the maternity ward tested positive for the novel coronavirus on April 26 after coming in contact with a 24-year-old woman who delivered a baby there on April 15 and was tested positive on April 17.

This is the second time the Sadar Hospital maternity ward has been closed. Earlier it was closed from April 18 to 24.

The maternity ward of RIMS in Bariatu closed on April 24 after two women gave birth on April 20 and 22 and were tested positive for Covid-19 on April 24 and 23, respectively.

Ranchi DC Rai Mahimapat Ray said alternative arrangements had been made for pregnant women. “The primary health centre in Doranda will handle the cases,” Ray said.

However, when The Telegraph visited the community health centre at Doranda, six pregnant women there said did not find any arrangements for the Covid-19 test and nurses and doctors were reluctant to admit them without the test.

“Will my delivery wait till the coronavirus test?,” a mother-to-be fumed.

RIMS director Dr D.K. Singh said they were making arrangements at RIMS too.

Nurses boycott work

More than 200 contract nurses and technicians of Patliputra Medical College and Hospital on Monday boycotted the first shift to press for demands such as safety and PPE kits, insurance, compensatory job for their dependents if they die during their service period, especially during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. They also demanded more pay, basic facilities on a par with regular staff and no discrimination between contract and regular staff over posting, including at isolation wards. PMCH superintendent A.K. Chaudhary. Chaudhary assured them to forward most of their demands to the state government after which the protesters joined work.