Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh Visits 1,000-bedded COVID-19 Hospital

New Delhi, July 06: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan visited the newly-built 1,000-bedded with 250 intensive care units (ICU) beds Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID Hospital here.

 

 

 

The facility was constructed in a record time of 12 days by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in co-operation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Armed Forces, Tata Sons and other industry players. The Defence Minister was also accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy.

 

 

The hospital will be run by the medical professionals from the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) while the it will be maintained by the DRDO. Additionally, for the mental wellbeing of patients, the hospital has a dedicated DRDO managed psychological counselling centre. The DRDO also developed COVID-19 technologies productionised by the Industry in the last 3 months such as ventilators, decontamination tunnels, personal protective equipment (PPEs), N95 masks, contact-free sanitiser dispensers, sanitisation chambers and medical robots trolleys will be utilised at the facility.

 

Singh expressed satisfaction after visiting the hospital and appreciated the efforts of stakeholders in building this facility in such a short span of time whereas Kejriwal said, "DRDO's 1,000-bed coronavirus hospital is ready. I thank the central government on behalf of Delhiities. It (hospital) has 250 ICU beds, which is very much needed in Delhi at the moment." The home minister said "PM Narendra Modi is fully committed to helping the people of Delhi in these challenging times and this COVID hospital, yet again, highlights that resolve".

 

"The COVID-19 patients referred by the district administration will be admitted and treated free of cost at this facility. Critical cases will be referred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi," the government stated in a release.

 

The major contribution poured in from Tata Sons. The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Astra Microwave Products Limited (AMPL), Sri Venkateswara Engineers, Brahmos Private Limited, Bharat Forge also contributed whereas the DRDO employees voluntarily contributing one day salary.

 

"The unique centrally air-conditioned medical facility is spread over 25,000 square metres and is equipped with 250 ICU beds. Each ICU bed is equipped with monitoring equipment and ventilator. All facilities will be provided in this hospital including oxygen supply to each bed, x-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), haematological test facilities, ventilators, COVID Test Lab, Wheel Chairs, Stretchers and other medical equipment," it added.