State-owned power giant NTPC Ltd on Saturday said it has stepped up vigil against global coronavirus pandemic by converting its hospitals into dedicated COVID-19 units. NTPC has already utilised its 45 hospitals/health units to make isolation facilities and procured requisite number of equipment for the medical staff to handle such cases effectively, an NTPC statement said. According to the statement, as many as 121 beds, with all facilities, have been turned into isolation wards in these hospitals.
The key medical infrastructure that has been made ready for use by state governments to tackle COVID-19 cases includes the hospital at Badarpur in Delhi and medical college hospital of Sundergarh at Odisha, it added. Korba Hospital is also being examined for takeover by the state government, it added. The medical staff has also been trained over video calls about the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). On 22nd March, a mock drill was conducted at all hospitals as per MOHFW (health ministry) guidelines.
Further, 1,160 PPEs, 30,000 masks and 30,000 gloves have been dispatched to all the projects and stations. A total of 8 ventilators are being procured at Hazaribagh for District administration. At present, there are 7 ventilators in the project hospitals. Additionally, there are 18 Advanced Level Ambulances with ventilators, the company said. Another 10 ventilators are in the process of procurement for different hospitals. Also, efforts are being made to acquire additional PPE, sanitisers from available agencies.
Among other measures, NTPC has contributed funds to the district administration of NTECL Vallur for procuring 1,000 bedsheets for a hospital.
At NTPC Bhilai, funds have been reserved for support to the District Hospital to provide foods in nearby localities through NGOs and also for providing essential medicine in Primary Health Cares (PHCs).
Similarly, NTPC Rihand has assured adequate funds for the distribution of sanitiser and other protective equipment. Furthermore, the requirement of contractor workers has been rationalised at NTPC's projects /stations in terms of the GOI Guidelines. It has asked its agencies to treat the workers' absence in these extraordinary circumstances as on duty. As far as wages are concerned, there will be no hindrance and they will be given timely. In some cases, including advances have already been given.
Accommodation, food and medical facilities for the contractor workers have been arranged at many of NTPC’s projects/stations. At some locations, distribution of food packets/ daily essentials for nearby elderly/pregnant and lactating mothers / physically challenged and other marginalised sections of the society, including poor families, has been taken up, it said.
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