New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS): A group of 45 doctors and 160 paramedics from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have reached the national capital as an additional central support to the Delhi government to tame the rising Covid-19 infections that have pushed the hospitals here to their brink.
The move comes three days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah took stock of Covid-19 situation in the city in presence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Among many steps taken after the meeting held by Shah on November 15 on Delhi Covid, Home Ministry Spokesperson Nitin Wakankar in a series of tweets informed that "already 45 doctors and 160 para-medics from CAPFs have reached Delhi for deployment at the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) hospital near Delhi airport and at Covid care centre at Chhatarpur".
"Remaining doctors and medics to reach Delhi in next few days," the Spokesperson said.
Following the meeting, the official said slew of measures have been underway.
"DRDO to add 250 ICU beds to its already existing 250 ICU beds and also to create 35 BIPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) beds in next 3 to 4 days at its COVID hospital near Delhi airport."
BIPAP is known as small ventilator. Patients are put on it when their stage goes beyond oxygen cylinder but better than putting on a ventilator. It's a small machine which can be attached to any bed.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted 10 multi-disciplinary teams to visit more than 100 private hospitals in Delhi for assessing bed utilization and testing capacity and to identify extra ICU beds on directions of Union Home Minister.
The Indian Railways is also making available train coaches with 800 beds at Shakur Basti railway station and doctors, as well as para-medics from CAPFs to man these coaches as Covid care cum isolation facility, he said.
Besides, the official said, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has dispatched 250 ventilators from Bengaluru and these are expected to reach Delhi by weekend.
"Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHF)has delivered 35 BIPAP machines to DRDO Covid facility. 25 BIPAP machines for Delhi Govt to be provided by MoHFW."
Orientation meetings of District Collectors and other stakeholders are also being held by the MoHFW.
These moves are being taken after the Home Minister met Kejriwal and assured to provide 750 ICU beds at the DRDO COVID-19 centre.
The Covid-19 cases in Delhi started to rise after October 20 and though there are ample number of beds for corona patients, the requirement is for ICU beds. He also said that the government is also aiming at conducting one lakh covid tests daily.
Meanwhile, Delhi has reported 4,95,598 positive cases so far of which 4,45,782 patients have recovered and 7,812 patients have lost their lives due to the virus. As per latest 24-hours data, a total of 6,396 Covid patients were found positive in Delhi till Tuesday.