20 more beds in PMCH medicine department for swine flu patients

PATNA: The state government on Tuesday announced 20 more beds in the PMCH medicine department for swine flu patients.
Health minister Ramdhani Singh, replying to a question of Satyendra Narain Kushwaha (BJP) in the legislative council, said the government has set up a virology lab at Darbhanga Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at a cost of Rs 5.41 crore. He also said Rs 2.67 crore has been sanctioned to PMCH to buy equipment for virology lab.
The minister also said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given nod to set up specialized BSL-II lab (biosafety level-2) for undertaking specialized tests. In addition, facilities for necessary tests of suspected swine flu patients are available at RMRI, Agamkuan, the minister said and added that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine facility is not available at PMCH. Samples collected at PMCH are sent to the RMRI for tests.
He said PCR machine would soon be installed at PMCH. It is a laboratory apparatus most commonly used to amplify segments of DNA.
Replying to another question of Kushwaha and Kiran Ghai Sinha, the minister said Patna civil surgeon has been asked to seek detailed report from Shastrinagar police station following the recovery of a foetus from the garbage in Khajpura phase-I, Akashvani Road. He said an FIR would be lodged after receiving the report.
Singh also said the sex determination tests are banned in Bihar. Making a supplementary, Kiran said several maternity clinics were engaged in illegal sex determination tests. Under the provisions of Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act 1994, sex determination tests are banned across the state.
Koelwar Mental hosp: The mental hospital at Koelwar would be developed as one of the best specialized hospitals in the state. Replying to a question of Mangal Pandey (BJP), health minister said the hospital started functioning in 2006. Since 2014, altogether 24 patients were treated in its OPD. He also said the number of beds had been increased from 85 in 2003 to 250.