Indian Army ramps up COVID-19 efforts with more beds, medical advice helpline
Apr 28, 2021
New Delhi [India], April 28 : As the second COVID-19 wave continues to put a massive strain on the country's health infrastructure, the Indian Army's Base Hospital Delhi Cantonment (BHDC) has been converted to a COVID-19 hospital, bring much-needed relief.
The Army on Wednesday informed that at the start of the pandemic, the Base Hospital catered for 340 COVID beds of which just 250 beds were oxygenated.
A plan has been put in place to expand the capacity to 650 COVID beds of which 450 beds will be oxygenated by the end of this month, the Army said in a series of tweets, adding that the Intensive Care Unit will also be enhanced from 12 beds to 35 ICU beds by Thursday.
"Next phase of expansion will see the present capacity being augmented to 900 oxygenated beds by the second week of June 2021. For efficient patient management, a new COVID OPD under a specialist medical team is functioning round the clock," it added.
The Army further said that the team would clinically examine approximately 500 patients on a daily basis and appropriate medical advice would be rendered.
In another initiative, the Army has also set up a 24X7 COVID tele-consultancy and Information Management Cell under a senior officer to render medical advice.
"On average, 1200-1300 calls are handled by this cell suggesting that the facility is well subscribed. The Indian Army will spare no efforts to augment medical capacities to match the expanding requirements caused by the exponential rise in daily cases," it added.
"In the current crisis, when all available medical resources are being marshalled to the best of our ability, veterans are requested to extend full support and encourage military medical professionals who are performing their duties with utmost dedication and sincerity," it added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Monday met Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and reviewed the preparations and operations being undertaken by the armed forces to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
According to an official statement by the Prime Minister's Office, the CDS briefed the Prime Minister that all medical personnel from armed forces who have retired or taken pre-mature retirement in the last two years are being recalled to work in Covid facilities in the proximity of their present place of residence.
