COVID-19: Hemant Soren urges PM Modi to permit availing services of doctors, CPMFs deployed in Jharkhand

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting to permit availing services of doctors and paramedics of Central Para Military Forces (CPMF) and military hospitals deployed in the state to help in 'treatment and management' of COVID-19 patients.

In the letter, Soren said that during the first wave of COVID-19, more than 90 per cent of cases were asymptomatic and the number of persons that required the support of oxygen or ventilator was not very high.

"We had anticipated the second wave to be less virulent due to vaccination and herd immunity. But it has surprisingly turned out to be extremely virulent. We are trying to fight this pandemic with whatever medical infrastructure and resources that are available in this backward state. All the doctors and paramedics available in the government and the private sector are being optimally utilized. But, the requirement to handle the current caseload is much higher than the availability," Soren wrote.

The Chief Minister said as Jharkhand is a 'left-wing affected' state, a large (part) of Central Para Military Forces (CRPF) are deployed in the state to fight the 'left-wing extremism'.

"..each such company of CMPF deployed in Jharkhand is manned by a certain number of doctors and paramedics. Similarly, there are two Military Hospitals located at Ranchi and Ramgarh catering to the medical requirement of 23 Infantry Divison, Sikh Regiment and Punjab Regiment. I feel the contingent of doctors and paramedics available with the aforesaid establishments can be of immense help in case they are deployed for the treatment and management of COVID-18 patients," the Chief Minister said.

He further urged the Prime Minister to direct the Ministry of Hime Affairs and Ministry of Defence to issue necessary instructions for permitting the state government to deploy doctors and paramedics of the CPMFs and Military Hospitals for the treatment and management of COVID-19 patients.

( With inputs from ANI )