Continuing with their efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the Armed forces have taken several measures to meet any exigency in the coming days including readying more than 9,000 beds, 8,500 doctors, nurses and support staff and airlifting more than 25 tons of medicines to the north east and Ladakh in the last five days.
Giving these updates in a video conference review meeting held here on Wednesday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Services also said 25,000 National Cadet Corps(NCC)cadets were mobilised to assist the local administration and the armed forces were in constant touch with the civil authorities.
The Defence Minister appreciated the efforts being made by various Services, organisations and Defence Public Sector Undertakings(DPSUs)s in terms of evacuation, provision of health care in quarantine facilities and research & production of medical equipment such as sanitisers, facemasks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). He directed all the organisations to redouble their efforts and work in close coordination with other Ministries/organisations of central government in this crucial time.
Chief of Defence Staff(CDS) General Bipin Rawat informed Singh that separate hospitals have been identified to exclusively deal with COVID-19 and more than 9,000 hospital beds have been made available. Over 1,000 evacuees are quarantined at facilities in Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Chennai, Manesar, Hindan and Mumbai. Their quarantine period will end by April 7, 2020.
Air Chief RKS Bhadauria informed that the Air Force planes conducted several sorties within the country in the last five days to transport approximately 25 tonnes of medical supplies.
He said, critical operational work is continuing while ensuring all necessary precautions. Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh said naval ships are on standby to extend any required assistance. He said, the Navy is also extending assistance as required by local civilian administration.
Army Chief General M M Naravane said more than 8,500 doctors and support staff are available to extend necessary assistance to civilian administration. Referring to the defence minister’s direction that help should be provided to neighbouring countries, he said assistance to Nepal in the form of medical equipment will be delivered shortly.
Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO)G Satheesh Reddy said 50,000 litres of sanitizers made by DRDO labs were supplied to various security entities, including the Delhi Police and another one lakh litres were supplied all over the country.
He said, a five-layered nano technology face mask N99 are being made on war footing. More than 10,000 have already been made and soon per day production will be extended to 20,000, Reddy said adding the DRDO laboratories have also supplied 40,000 other face masks to the Delhi Police.
The DRDO Secretary, being a member of the empowered Group of Secretaries, is coordinating closely with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding the requirement of medical equipment. Another DRDO laboratory has also made arrangements to make 20,000 PPE per day. The DRDO is also engaged in minor modification of ventilators so that one machine can support four patients at the same time.
Director General Armed Forces Medical Services(AFMS) Lt General Anup Banerji informed the Defence Minister that necessary equipment has been procured and dispatched to various hospitals. Retired health professionals have also been kept in readiness to volunteer their services. Approximately 25,000 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets are being mobilised to provide necessary local assistance.
Various DPSUs such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) have contributed 40 crores of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) fund. In addition, they have also contributed one day salary of all their employees to the PM-CARES fund.
Following the direction from the Defence Minister, the DPSUs conveyed to him that they have made salary payment to all the casual and contractual workers also. The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) is also engaged in manufacturing hand sanitisers, face masks and PPE.
The video conference was attended by Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production)Raj Kumar, Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Sanjeevanee Kutty, Secretary (Defence Finance)Gargi Kaul, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)G Satheesh Reddy, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) Lt General Anup Banerji, heads of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and other senior civil and military officials.