DRDO to build two 500-bedded Covid hospitals in J&K

With continuous surge in Covid-19 cases, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is establishing two 500-bedded Covid hospitals at Srinagar and Jammu.

The Union Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla, while chairing a high-level meeting reviewed the establishment of these hospitals by the DRDO, an official spokesman said.

He said J&K Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam, other officers of concerned departments besides officers from DRDO, ITBP, and AFMS Institute participated in the meeting.

The Chief Secretary informed that the Union Territory had witnessed a consistent surge in patient-load over the past few days.

The existing health care facilities are adequately catering to the needs of patients; however, a continuation of this upward trend may lead to a shortage of Covid beds, the CS said.

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To successfully mitigate shortages in medical facilities, it was requested that the temporary DRDO Covid hospitals be constructed well in time, he said and requested that the upcoming hospitals must be equipped with isolation beds having oxygen support and 125 fully equipped ICU beds.

Assessing the requirement of dedicated Covid infrastructure in the UT, the Union Home Secretary asked J&K government to immediately identify suitable locations for constructing 500-bedded hospitals while asking DRDO to evaluate and submit corresponding proposal estimates through a team of experts.

The meeting was informed that the Government of Jammu & Kashmir has identified two patches of land in Jammu and Srinagar for early start of construction work.

In the past, the DRDO has built 1000 bedded temporary Covid hospitals across the country in approximately 12 days each. The construction of two 500-bedded hospitals in J&K will greatly reinforce medical infrastructure for dedicated Covid care in the UT.