In the ongoing national effort to augment supply of oxygen, three Indian Navy warships carrying the gas from Kuwait, Qatar and Singapore reached India on Monday. The Army set up three hospitals in Faridabad, Chandigarh and Patiala for treating Covid-19 patients.
Giving details about the naval endeavour, officials said three ships including Kolkata, Trikand and Airavat reached India with Liquid Medical Oxygen.
As part of the ongoing Operation ‘Samudra Setu II’ to support the nation’s fight against Covid-19, INS Kolkata arrived New Mangalore, INS Trikand entered Mumbai and INS Airavat arrived in Visakhapatnam.
These ships are part of nine ships deployed for Covid relief Operation ‘Samudra Setu II’ for shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen and associated medical equipment from friendly foreign countries in the Persian Gulf and South East Asia.
INS Airavat arrived in Visakhapatnam with eight cryogenic oxygen tanks and 3,898 oxygen cylinders along with other critical medical equipment from Singapore.
INS Trikand was deployed to augment shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) cryogenic containers from Hamad Port, Qatar to Mumbai. The ship arrived at Mumbai with 40 Metric Tons(MT) of liquid Oxygen. The consignment is part of the French mission “Oxygen Solidarity Bridge” to support India’s fight against Covid-19 pandemic, they said.
INS Kolkata arrived at New Mangalore with 400 bottles of Oxygen, two 27 MT containers of Liquid Medical Oxygen and 47 concentrators that were embarked at Qatar and Kuwait.
While these ships entered ports to augment oxygen supply in three different States, two more warships are enroute to India from Kuwait and one ship is at Brunei to embark medical supplies.
As regards the Army’s role, they said the force has set up a 100-bed Covid care hospital at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College, Chhainsa, located 20 kms from Faridabad town.
The Army and the Civil Administration, Faridabad District worked in close coordination on a war footing to ensure that the hospital is functional from Tuesday to provide Level 1 medical care to mild/ symptomatic patients suffering from Covid-19.
In a related development, Western Command chief Lieutenant General RP Singh on Monday announced the operationalisation of Western Command Covid Hospitals at International Students Hostel of Panjab University, Sector 25 Chandigarh and Rajindra Government Hospital, Patiala besides the facility at Faridabad. The hospital at Patiala will start functioning from Tuesday.
The Army has deployed its Doctors, Nursing Officers and Paramedics for holistic treatment to patients as per the Indian Council for Medical Research(ICMR)guidelines, provided service ambulances and trained personnel for administration and management of the hospital.
The civil administration is facilitating essential amenities, service management, uninterrupted oxygen supply, patient admission and discharge and ambulance services at these hospitals.
The hospitals will also cater for basic laboratory, X-Ray, Pharmacy and catering for patients. The admission to these Hospitals will be opened to all citizens.