Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Amidst the rising number of COVID-19 cases, the Ministry of Defence has pushed Defence Research and Development Organsiation and defence PSUs along with the Armed Forces to spruce up facilities in different parts of the country. One of the largest facilities, which will be coming up in Ahmedabad, will start functioning by Saturday.
Sharing the details a source said, “The Dhanvantri COVID Hospital coming up at Gujarat University Convention and Exhibition Centre – Ahmedabad will have 900 beds out of which 150 will be ICU beds with ventilators. Remaining 750 beds also will be provided with oxygen supply.” He said that while construction work started on 14 April, operations are expected to begin on 24 April said the source and “hospital is being jointly raised by DRDO and Govt of Gujrat in collaboration”.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually reviewed the preparedness of Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces on Tuesday to deal with the recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the country.
The Defence minister was informed by DRDO chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy that a COVID-19 facility, developed by DRDO, has again been made functional in New Delhi and efforts are being made to soon increase the number of beds from 250 to 500.
He said that ESIC Hospital, which was converted to COVID hospital in Patna, has started functioning with 500 beds. He added that work on a 900 bed hospital in Ahmedabad was on war footing in addition to a 450-bed hospital in Lucknow and 750-bed hospital in Varanasi. Rajnath had called upon the Armed Forces to be in close contact with the state governments and be ready to provide any required assistance. He also delegated the emergency powers of procurement so that critical needs are procured. The defence minister suggested to utilise the services of vaccinated retired Armed Forces personnel to assist the civil administration/state governments to deal with the current situation.