AIIMS Jhajjar to treat paramilitary jawans

NEWDELHI: With more 500 central paramilitary personnel contracting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the government has earmarked AIIMS Jhajjar for treatment all personnel testing positive for the infection, officials familiar with the development said.

The decision was taken Friday during a meeting chaired by home minister Amit Shah with the director generals of all paramilitary forces – the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The number of total positive cases in paramilitary forces touched 530 Friday with 30 new cases reported in BSF and 12 in ITBP.

The BSF now has the highest number of Covid-19 cases at 221, followed by 161 in CRPF, 94 in ITBP, 35 in CISF and 17 in SSB. A CISF jawan, deployed at the Indian Museum in Kolkata, succumbed to the disease Friday, taking the number of casualties to five.

One of the officials cited above said all paramilitary jawans, who were hitherto referred to ITBP hospital in Noida, and Safdarjung Hospital and Ram Manohar

Lohia hospital in Delhi, will be sent to AIIMS Jhajjar where a dedicated team of doctors will look after their treatment.

A majority of the jawans in BSF, ITBP and CRPF have contracted the infection in Delhi while performing law and order duties, while rest of the cases have been reported from Tripura, Mumbai and Kolkata.

Expressing concern over the pace of Covid-19 spread in the paramilitary forces, also called CAPFs (central armed police forces), Shah instructed all director generals to ensure that contact tracing of affected jawans and testing facilities are augmented and everyone follows the safety guidelines prescribed by the Union health ministry.

Shah told the chiefs of forces that “Modi government is not only concerned over the spread of Covid-19 but is making all efforts to ensure safety, security and well-being of all CAPFs”, according to statement released by the Press Information Bureau.

He also enquired about the situation regarding security personnel affected by the virus in each of the CAPFs as well as persons who were found to be asymptomatic.

Shah also asked the director generals to ensure timely payment of terminal dues, including ex-gratia, insurance, etc., in case of a casualty.