Jharkhand National Health Mission (NHM) director Ramesh Gholap directed the Sadar Hospital administration in Ranchi on Saturday to ensure that the PSA plant at the hospital was ready by December 26 in a bid to provide Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) to Covid-19 patients in case of a rise in cases of infection.

Gholap reviewed the arrangements at Sadar Hospital here in the wake of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus and the fear of a possible third wave of the pandemic.

“The chief minister has directed the health department to be ready with the PSA plants at the earliest. We are taking all necessary steps to keep Covid cases under check, but we are also focusing on keeping medical infrastructure ready to handle any crisis in future,” said Gholap.

Sadar Hospital in Ranchi has set up a separate 20-bed isolation centre for international travellers who are found to be infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Besides, about 550 beds at the hospital will be available for treatment of Covid patients in case of a spike in cases.

“These 550 beds include oxygen-supported beds, ICU beds, PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) beds and NICU (Neoborn Intensive Care Unit) beds,” said Gholap, adding that the health department has asked all the agencies working for infrastructure development at Sadar Hospital to expedite the ongoing work on electricity connection and pipelines for various purposes.

Even though no cases of Covid-19 caused by the Omicron variant have been reported in the state so far, the Jharkhand health department recently wrote to all deputy commissioners in districts, directing them to strengthen medical infrastructure.

The districts have been asked to check whether ventilators were functioning, and ensure availability of oxygen-supported beds even in the Community Healthcare Centres and Primary Healthcare Centres.

As per latest data compiled by NHM, there were 126 active cases of Covid-19 in Jharkhand, including 65 in Ranchi and 35 in East Singhbhum.

According to media reports, at least 33 cases of Covid-19 caused by the fast spreading Omicron variant have been reported in India so far. Jharkhand has already intensified screening of travellers from Omicron-affected states and directed all districts to speed up the process of sending samples for genome sequencing to Bhubaneswar.