As India battles the second wave of coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that country's armed forces have left no stone unturned in strengthening the fight against Covid-19. PM Modi's remarks have come after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared an article on how armed forces were helping fighting the pandemic.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared an article on how Indian armed forces are fighting the invisible enemy.
The surge of Covid-19 cases during the last 2-3 weeks has resulted in once in a century crisis. Sensing the emergency situation, the whole Government machinery immediately swung into action by mobilizing all possible resources. Along with the efforts put together by the scientific community, health professionals, civil administration, the Armed Forces too have pitched in this battle against an invisible yet deadly enemy.
Indian Army, Air Force, Navy, and other organisations of the Ministry of Defence like DG AFMS, DRDO, OFB, DPSU, NCC, Cantonments Boards, etc are engaged to help mitigate the sufferings of the people. Mobilisation of additional health professionals, setting up of new COVID facilities, deployment of IAF transport aircraft and IN Ships to provide logistic support to facilitate the supply of oxygen from friendly foreign countries and within the country and setting up of new oxygen plants are some of the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Defence.
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DRDO Hospitals being set-up
DRDO has set up a 500-bed COVID-19 facility each in New Delhi and Lucknow, a 900-bed hospital in Ahmedabad and converted ESIC Hospital in Patna to COVID hospital with 500 beds. Work is in full swing to set up COVID hospitals at Muzaffarpur and Varanasi. DRDO is also offering technical support to state governments in setting up temporary COVID hospitals.
Indian Army has mobilised its resources to assist the civil administration to tide over the current COVID-19 situation in the country.
Additional health professionals mobilised
Meanwhile, the AFMS has deployed additional doctors, including specialists, super specialists and paramedics, at various hospitals.
Rajnath Singh informed his that ministry has granted an extension to Short Service Commissioned Doctors of AFMS till December 31, 2021, which has augmented the strength of AFMS by 238 more doctors. To further strengthen the workforce of health professionals, those who have recently retired from AFMS have been re-deployed.
To cater to veterans and their dependents additional contractual staff have been temporarily hired in 51 high-pressure ECHS polyclinics for night duty for three months.
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