The administration has set up two new Covid treatment centres here in view of the recent spike in the number of cases that can no longer be managed at the 100-bed dedicated Covid Hospital of Dhanbad.

One of the new facilities is a 100-bed Covid Care Centre, meant for symptomatic patients, or those with mild symptoms, set up at the Cath Lab of the Patliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) at Saraidhela. The second facility is at Tata Central Hospital in Jamadoba with 15 beds for the treatment of those with moderate symptoms.

The move to create two new facilities is to free up space at the 100-bed dedicated Covid Hospital of Dhanbad at Jagjivan Nagar where facilities, including support staff, are being stretched to the limit.

Dhanbad deputy commissioner Amit Kumar said, “We have already declared the PMCH Cath Lab as a Covid Care Centre. Manpower deputation for the new centre is under progress."

Kumar said that in case of a further rise in the number of cases, the district administration had plans to create Covid care facilities in around 28 primary health centres and eight community health centres of the district.

The government has notified a three-layer categorisation of health facilities for Covid management. The first layer is a Dedicated-19 hospital meant to offer comprehensive health care facilities to those with severe symptoms. The second layer is formed by dedicated Covid health centres meant for those with
moderate symptoms. The third layer is of Covid care centres meant for treatment of those who are asymptomatic or display mild symptoms.

“Although there has been a rise in Covid cases during recent days in Dhanbad,
the numbers are not that high. So, we have not carried out strict categorisation of newly developed Covid treatment facilities in Dhanbad. In any cases, these are all being used for Covid management,” said Kumar.

The four-storey Cath Lab, developed at a cost of Rs 13 crore at PMCH in 2018 for the treatment of heart patients, was not functioning since the building was not formally handed over to the PMCH management. Also, the administration of PMCH had no documents to explain under which fund the building had come up.

Recently, the district administration stepped in and developed the Cath Lab as a Covid Care Centre with a fund infusion of around Rs 35.77 lakh through the building division. The facility was made operational after necessary equipment and furniture were bought using the fund.