A team of lung specialists from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital in Chennai will land in Ranchi to examine the medical condition of ailing Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto, who has been undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Bhagwan Mahavir Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Ranchi after testing positive for Covid-19 on September 28, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said on Sunday.

The Chief Minister on Sunday held a meeting with doctors in Medica Hospital and sought details about Mahto’s condition. Talking to media persons after his interaction with doctors, Soren said that the government has been planning to take Mahto to other cities for better treatment, but doctors did not permit him to travel owing to his poor health condition.

“We have spoken to lung experts from MGM in Chennai. They were supposed to be here tomorrow, but we have requested them to examine our education minister today itself,” said Soren. “Mahto ji has been hospitalised for 18 days now, and his condition is still critical. We are trying our level best to provide the best possible medical attention to him,” he added.

The meeting on Sunday was also attended by Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh and Dr. Vijay Mishra, who has been treating Mahto since he was admitted in Medica on October 1. After testing positive for Covid-19, Mahto was admitted in the State-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) on September 28. Two days later, he was shifted to Medica in wake of his deteriorating health.

After the meeting on Sunday, Soren said that the government will again try and take Mahto to another city for better treatment only if expert doctors give their nod for the same.

The 54-year-old minister is a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator from Dumri constituency in Bokaro. He was recently in the news for taking admission in class 11 and gifting cars to toppers of Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) class 10 and 12 exams.