AIIMS-Patna doctor bats for increased surveillance, testing, vaccination

Dr Umesh Kumar Bhadani said that there was a need for massive information and awareness campaign for basic hygiene and social protection, as also preventing large gatherings.

Dr Umesh Kumar Bhadani, head of the expert committee formed by the Patna High Court order and dean at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna on Saturday said that there was a growing need for increased surveillance, testing, vaccination and more treatment, but the most important factor remained Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Bihar health minister said that the state government and the Centre were working together to control the pandemic and the results were showing, with the positivity rate dropping from 16% around 25 days ago to just 4% today, (PTI Photo) (PTI)

“There is expected third wave 6-8 months after the end of the second wave, which may end in July 2021. It may be in pockets or localised areas, depending on the vaccinated population. The virus mutates and vulnerable people are likely to get infected. Therefore, it is important to reach out to maximum people, as infected persons without symptoms are more dangerous,” he said, while speaking at a meeting on Covid-19, organised and moderated by senior advocate and former additional solicitor general SD Sanjay.

Bhadani said that during the first wave, all were equally vulnerable, but aged people got sicker and so they were vaccinated first. “In the second wave, the virus has mutated, but those vaccinated are less vulnerable. The young people move more for livelihood and so got more infected. The third wave is anticipated to affect the younger population more, which are not vaccinated and move more. As per data, when 86% of people develop immunity, it is called the stage of herd immunity,” he added.

Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey said that the state government and the Centre were working together to control the pandemic and the results were showing, with the positivity rate dropping from 16% around 25 days ago to just 4% today, resulting in a large number of beds in Covid care centres and dedicated Covid hospitals unoccupied. He said the pace of vaccination would also pick up in June and improve further in mid-July.

“With less than 50,000 active cases, Bihar is ranked 16th in the country. Although Bihar received just 16 mt of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) per day before the pandemic, it reached up to 210 mt to meet the growing demand. There was no shortage of oxygen or important drugs. Around 50,000 vials of Remdesivir are still stocked in districts. There is ample stock of Amphotericin,” he added.

Pandey said that it was unfortunate that some ventilators, which were not functional in some districts due to shortage of anaesthetists and technical staff, were being highlighted in media, but the fact that over 1500 ventilators are functional saving lives. “We did appoint anaesthetists, but we did not get as many as we required,” he said, taking a dig at the leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav for offering to open a Covid care centre in his government home without understanding that some basic standards have to meet for opening any such facility.

BJP state president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal said it was quite disappointing that, as per a recent survey, barely 60% of people use masks in towns, out of which 20% wear it on the chin. “One can well imagine the situation in rural areas,” he said, adding that when the states were getting 42% of the divisible tax pool of the centre, they should also come forward to take the responsibility of vaccinating people below 45 years.

He said that over 50-lakh vaccines had been damaged by the states when every vaccine was important. The Centre is doing everything to augment supply. Covaxin license has been given to five companies. When Centre will complete free vaccination of above 45 years, it will also take the load off states,” he added.

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