Bihar tweaks discharge policy, makes one –ve follow up test must

The state government Thursday tweaked the discharge policy for Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infected patients on cure, by mandating one negative follow up result

The state government Thursday tweaked the discharge policy for Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infected patients on cure, by mandating one negative follow up result in the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test before releasing all types of patients enrolled at the medical facilities for treatment.

HT Image

“The negative follow-up result is a must in all pre-symptomatic and symptomatic cases of Covid infection,” said principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar, adding that a notification to this effect was issued on Thursday.

He said that the state’s discharge policy for Covid patients was more stringent than that of the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW). “They recommend the discharge after a few days without negative RT-PCR test, while the revised policy of the state recommends for one negative RT-PCR test,” he said.

Earlier, pre-symptomatic and mild symptomatic patients were discharged from the Covid facility after 10-days of symptom onset and no fever in the last three days. Cases with moderate symptoms were also released if the patients’ fever resolved within three days and they maintained oxygen saturation about 95% for next four days without an oxygen support. A negative RT-PCR test was mandatory in severe cases.

The amended policy, which has been sent to all the heads of all medical colleges and hospitals along with the administrative bosses of all the districts, is deemed to come into effect immediately. Officials said that additional negative test on positive patients before there release might have its added bearing on the existing resources for clinical testing.

The change in release policy assumes considerable significance in view of the recent spike in Covid cases, following the return of migrants from different parts of the country and chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar’s insistence to go for rigorous testing of suspected cases.

Officials said that the CM had recently directed the health department officials to ensure clinical testing of around 10,000 persons daily compared to the previous 1,800-2,000 RT-PCR testing. Kumar, during his recent video-conferencing with PM Modi had asked for more testing kits urgently.

The number of Covid positive cases had reached 966 (till the filing of this report) on Thursday from just 66 on April 14, in the state. Samples of 42,000 persons were clinically examined for Covid at six out of seven facilities of the state government. Testing at Bhagalpur-based government medical college and hospital has been discontinued due to lack of facilities.