Ranchi (IANS) Specialized doctors from the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Texas and University of Illinois, USA, Sunday imparted online training to several hundred Jharkhand doctors,on critical care, preparation of Pediatric Intensive Care Units and treatment protocols to combat a possible third Covid wave and outbreak of the virus in children.
Those attending webinar were pediatricians working in state run medical colleges and hospitals, district hospitals, malnutrition treatment centres, Special New Born Care Units, New Born Stabilization Units, physicians and pediatricians going to be posted in the upcoming 28 new Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU)s all over Jharkhand.
The International Webinar titled “International PICU and Critical Care Training Symposium”, was organised by Women Doctors Wing, Indian Medical Association(IMA), Jharkhand in association with Department of Health and family welfare , Govt. of Jharkhand. The Webinar was inaugurated by Banna Gupta, Health Minister of Jharkhand.
Welcoming the guests, Dr.Bharti Kashyap, chairperson, Women Doctors Wing, IMA Jharkhand said that this was the first time that such an international webinar has been arranged where specialists from top medical colleges in the USA would share their insights and perspectives on combating a possible third Covid wave that is projected to affect several lakh children in Jharkhand.
Providing vital inputs and procedural skills to Jharkhand doctors were Dr. Yonca Bulut, Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, and Los Angeles, USA, Dr. Ravi Kashyap, Associate Clinical Professor, University of Illinois College of Medicine, USA and Dr. Pooja Kashyap, Pediatric Cardiologist, Director of Adult congenital Program and Assistant Professor, University of Texas, USA.
Dr.Bharti Kashyap, chairperson, Women Doctors Wing, IMA, Jharkhand pleaded that respiratory ailments and heart problems in children caused by Covid infection be also brought under the Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Scheme, to provide relief to low-income groups.
“It is very necessary to set up state of the art common pathological labs, capable of delivering diagnostic test results in the shortest possible time be set up for each cluster of 3 to 4 pediatric ICUs, to ensure speedy diagnosis, prompt treatment and care for all Covid affected children,” Dr.BhartiKashyap suggested.
Speaking on the occasion, Banna Gupta, health minister, conceded that trends indicate that a possible third Covid wave could target children in particular, which in turn would demand immediate hospitalisation. The raging first and second wave had not spared children and the younger generation, though the extent of infections have been mild, because of higher immunity levels of these groups. Our chief minister, Hemant Soren, has also lend his full support to us to combat the Covid waves and I express my gratitude for his all out support.
Also in attendance were Arun Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Health, Dr. J.A.Jayalal, national president,IMA, Dr.JayeshLele, national secretary, IMA, Dr.L.Yesodha, national president,Women Doctors Wing,IMA, Dr.Kavitha Ravi, national secretary,Women Doctors Wing,IMA, Ravi Shankar Shukla, director, National Health Mission, Dr.Arun Kumar Singh, state president, IMA Jharkhand Dr.Pradip Kumar Singh, state secretary, IMA Jharkhand and Dr.KumarDiwakar, pediatrician, Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur