As COVID-19 cases continue to surge, Lt Gen RP Singh, Army Commander Western Command has assured Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh of all possible assistance to help set up COVID facilities in the state.
As per a statement, apart from contributing 108 doctors, 14 Nursing Officers and 205 paramedics in various hospitals set up by DRDO, Western Command is setting up 100-bed COVID Hospitals at Chandigarh, Patiala and Faridabad, which will have the capacity to accommodate 100 mild to moderate symptomatic patients.
This development took place after a virtual meeting where the Chief Minister shared his concerns on the rising trend in the fresh infections especially in the major cities of Punjab and sought assistance in setting up Military COVID Field Hospitals, provisioning of paramedics and technical assistance to revive the disused oxygen plants in the state.
Hospitals at Chandigarh, Patiala and Faridabad are likely to be inaugurated and opened up for the civil population on May 10.
Additionally, paramedics from Western Command are being re-oriented towards COVID care.
"Presently, 33 paramedics are deployed at Government Rajendra Hospital at Patiala, SVBP Hospital at Delhi and another 100 paramedics are to be deployed shortly at various locations. To tide over the shortage of Oxygen in the region, a dedicated team of Army Electronics and Mechanical Engineers is working round the clock to resuscitate the Oxygen plant under Bhakra Beas Management at Nangal," the statement added.
This comes amid the devastating second COVID-19 wave in the country. Punjab reported as many as 8,367 new COVID-19 cases, 4,976 discharges and 165 deaths on Friday.
The total cases stand at 4,24,647, including 3,44,779 recoveries, 10,144 deaths and 69,724 active cases.
( With inputs from ANI )
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