Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the only state-run super-specialty medical institute in Jharkhand, has put in place three separate set-ups to offer maternity care to Covid-19 patients, coronavirus suspects and would-be-moms with no such complications.

The development comes in the wake of a rising number of novel coronavirus cases in the state and an increasing demand for proper maternity care in government hospitals.

Under the new system, moms-to-be who have tested positive for the virus will be treated at the new trauma centre, the suspects at the old trauma centre and the rest in the labour room complex.

A screening counter has been set up at the central emergency to ascertain who would be admitted where.

Dr Anubha Vidyarathi, the head of obstetrics and gynaecology department at RIMS, said the new arrangement had been made functional since April 30 when the maternity ward was reopened after seven days of closure because of the coronavirus infection.

“Since April 30, as many as 70 pregnant women have turned up at RIMS and all of them have received proper care. The three facilities have three separate medical and paramedical teams to ensure that maternity care doesn’t collapse in case any medical or paramedical staff gets infected. Corona suspects are kept in isolation and their samples have been collected for tests,” Dr Vidyarathi said.

She said 27 normal deliveries and 26 C-sections had taken place at RIMS since April 30.

On whether any delivery was conducted at the new trauma centre, which caters to Covid-19 patients, Vidyarathi said: “Last night (Thursday), a coronavirus-positive patient from Hindpiri delivered a baby through C-section at the new trauma centre under the supervision of my department. Dr Madhulika, Dr Kumud, Dr Tulika and Arvind Rajeshwaram, a postgraduate student of the surgery department, played important roles in the delivery. The woman was anaemic and the operation was done after blood transfusion. Both the mother and the baby are doing fine.”

A gynaecologist said the new arrangement would ensure maternity care without hindrance.

“RIMS maternity ward was closed on April 24 after a 23-year-old woman from Hindpiri, who had delivered a baby on April 22, tested positive the next day. Another woman from the same place, who had delivered a baby on April 20, tested positive on April 24. Poor patients had to suffer a lot because of the closure,” the gynaecologist said.