TO THE DEFENCE

WHAT THE ARMED FORCES AND THE DRDO ARE DOING TO FIGHT THE SECOND COVID WAVE

INDIAN ARMY

Field hospitals in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Lucknow, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Jammu, Srinagar

750 beds in various military hospitals have been set aside for civilian use

19 hospitals, over 4,000 beds and 585 ICU units set up across the country

Base hospital in Delhi converted into a 1,000-bed Covid facility

INDIAN AIR FORCE

Medium lift transport fleet and helicopters deployed

50 sorties airlifting 61 oxygen containers of 1,142 metric tonnes capacity from overseas

344 sorties airlifting 230 containers of 4,527 metric tonne capacity

INDIAN NAVY

Nine warships from three commands in Mumbai, Kochi and Visakhapatnam deployed under Operation Samudra Setu-II to bring filled ISO cryogenic containers with medical oxygen and cylinders from Bahrain, Singapore and Thailand

58 doctors, 30 nursing officers, 64 medical assistants and 62 battle field nursing assistants (BFNAs) deployed in Covid hospitals at New Delhi, Patna, Ahmedabad and Kavaratti island

DRDO

Monitoring installation of 849 oxygen generation plants with production agencies

Has developed a drug to reduce oxygen dependency and aid recovery from Covid

150,000 units of SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) supplemental oxygen delivery system, developed for soldiers in extreme high-altitude areas, is being diverted for Covid patients

500-bed Covid facility in New Delhi and Lucknow, 900-bed hospital in Ahmedabad and ESIC Hospital in Patna converted to Covid hospital