Week after founder’s death, pvt school turns 100-bed Covid facility

A week after losing its founder to Covid-19, Mount Carmel School in Dwarka was on Monday converted into a Covid care facility with around 100 oxygen beds.

While several schools run by the Delhi government and civic bodies have been functioning as isolation centres for Covid-19 patients, this is the first private school to set up a Covid care facility on its premises in the national capital.

Michael Williams, dean of Mount Carmel Schools, said that his father, VK Williams, who founded the schools, died due to Covid-19 last week. His mother is fighting the infection.

“The work on setting up such a facility had begun a month ago. People from over 100 churches across Delhi decided to turn minority schools into Covid care facilities... If this experiment works, we will roll it out in other

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minority schools in Delhi,” he said.

The facility will admit Covid patients with mild symptoms. “Our friends from South Korea have gifted us two oxygen generator plants that will be up and running by this weekend,” said Michael.

There will be 75 volunteers, including doctors and nurses, at the facility.

“Four doctors and nursing staff will work round the clock. Other doctors will be available for tele-consultation...we have also tied up with Venkateshwara and St Stephen’s hospitals for consultation,” he said. Dr Sunil Gokavi, medical in-charge of the facility, said, “We will examine each case before approving admissions.”

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia visited the centre on Monday. “This is a mark of humanity and generosity,” he said.