With the armed forces playing a big role in the national fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday reviewed the action plan of his Ministry for the coming days in responding to the challenge within and outside the country.
At present, Army teams and two navy ships are on standby to provide any assistance to fight the pandemic in the friendly neighbourhood countries even as an army team has returned from the Maldives after providing all help. A team of six doctors and eight paramedical personnel of the Army was deployed in Maldives since March 13 for setting up a viral testing laboratory for coronavirus.
The Minister was briefed on all these measures besides the fact about the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO)laboratories having manufactured 20,000 litres of sanitisers and supplied them to various organisations including the Delhi police, which has been supplied with 10,000 litres of sanitisers. The DRDO has also supplied 10,000 masks to the Delhi Police, officials said. It is tying up with some private companies to make personal protection equipment such as body suits and also ventilators.
The Ordnance Factory Board, which has set up quarantine facilities at various locations all over the country, has also ramped up production of sanitisers, masks and body suits. Bharat Electronics Limited, a public sector undertaking, is also engaged in manufacturing of ventilators, the minister was informed, they said.
At the meeting, officials briefed Singh on various measures and assistance provided so far. The Indian Air Force has made several sorties and evacuated Indian nationals from affected areas in China, Japan and Iran. Various quarantine facilities of the Armed Forces have, so far, handled 1,462 evacuees and discharged 389. Presently, 1,073 persons are being provided care at the facilities in Manesar, Hindan, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Mumbai. Additional quarantine facilities are on standby with 950 beds capacity.
The Defence Minister expressed appreciation on the proactive role played by the Armed Forces and various departments of MoD in evacuating Indian nationals as well as foreigners from COVID-19 affected countries and ensuring them proper care at various quarantine facilities. He urged the Armed Forces and other departments to gear up their preparedness and provide all required assistance to the civilian administration at various levels. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, 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, Secretary (Defence Production) Raj Kumar, Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Sanjeevanee Kutty and Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, the IAF said on Thursday it has created 09 quarantine facilities of 200-300 personnel capacity each, at nodal IAF bases across the country. Command Hospital Air Force Bangalore(CHAFB) has been designated as the first laboratory in the IAF to undertake COVID-19 testing which will greatly enhance the region’s ability to carry out quick testing of suspected cases and allow prompt and timely intervention where required.
To monitor the prevailing situation and provide immediate response and assistance as required, a 24x7 crisis management cell has been set up at Air Headquarters and various Command Headquarters. IAF aircraft are continuing to fly in medical supplies and doctors to Leh and fly out blood samples for COVID testing to Chandigarh and Delhi.