Ventilators non-functional in Hazaribag, Garhwa hospitals

HAZARIBAG/GARHWA: Covid-designated hospitals in Hazaribag and Garhwa districts are unable to use ventilators for Covid-19 patients as the hospitals lack proper pipeline for supply of oxygen.
In Hazaribag, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)’s Pakri Barwadih coal mining project unit donated eight ventilators to the Hazaribag Medical College and Hospital (HMCH) two months ago under its corporate social responsibility scheme but couldn’t be put to use so far.
HMCH superintendent Dr Sanjay Kumar Sinha said work for the pipeline has begun. He said, “A team of experts from Allahabad has arrived a couple of days back to lay oxygen pipelines to install the ventilators. If all goes well, it will be done in a day or two.”
Executive director of NTPC’s Pakri Barwadih unit, Prashant Kashyap, said the ventilators are expected to be installed later this week. He said soon after they learnt about the problem, they asked the agency to install them.
Garhwa district got 10 ventilators from the PM Cares Fund a few weeks back. District civil surgeon Dr N K Rajak said, “Currently, the Covid care centre at the sadar hospital which has 40 beds is full. In such a situation, oxygen pipelines couldn’t be installed until the patients are shifted to other hospitals.”
He, however, added that ventilators are expected to be installed within a week as a 3-member team of experts will arrive soon to lay the pipeline. “The delay in launch of the ventilators is also due to a rush of patients daily,” Rajak added.
District BJP president Om Praksh Keshri blamed the sadar hospital management for the delay. He said, "The delay in installation of the ventilators is due to the negligence of the hospital management."
Hazaribag has 788 total Covid-19 cases of which 412 are active and 11 deaths from the disease as of Thursday morning while Garhwa has 525 total cases with 305 active cases and two deaths.