Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has increased the number of ICU beds to 500 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Covid Hospital at Delhi Cantonment on the advice of Union Government in view of the rising number of cases in Delhi NCR. All the beds are provided with oxygen support.
Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) Lt Gen Anup Banerji, has been continuously monitoring the updating of the facility to meet the current upsurge and the information has been updated on Delhi Government portal.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Covid Hospital is DRDO’s 1,000 bed facility, which was made operational on July 5, 2020, with a mandate to treat COVID-19 positive patients from Delhi and other states. The increase in the number of ICU beds required additional equipment like ICU monitors, HFNC machines, and up-gradation of existing oxygen pipeline. To deal with the unprecedented surge in number of cases, AFMS has increased the medics. Doctors and nursing staff from ITBP, CAPF, and other services have joined and are working round the clock.
There have been 3,271 admissions in the hospital so far of which 2,796 patients have been cured/ discharged. There are 434 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital of which 356 are civilians while 78 are service personnel.
The hospital has been admitting patients from all over Delhi and adjoining states like Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh. The Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) has provided Doctors, Nursing officers, paramedics and associated manpower for the treatment of Covid-19 patient. Ajai Singh, Chief Engineer, DRDO Works Department (Civil Works & Estate),stated that this is the biggest facility in Delhi in terms of ICUs for COVID-19 patients and infrastructure has been made such that more ICU beds can be made available on requirement, according to a PIB release
DRDO undertook the design, development and operationalisation of the facility on war footing and built it in a record time of 12 days jointly with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Armed Forces, Tata Sons, and other industries. The existing facilities at the hospital include oxygen supply to each bed, x-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), haematological test facilities, ventilators, COVID Test Lab, Wheel Chairs, Stretchers and other medical equipment. At this hospital, patients are treated free of cost including diagnostics, medicine and food.