DRDO reopens its dedicated COVID-19 hospital in New Delhi

The Defence Research and Development Organisation- DRDO will be re-opening its Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID hospital in Delhi Cantt on April 19, 2021. The decision has been taken to deal with the massive spike in COVID-19 infections as the city battles another wave of the pandemic.

According to the officials, the medical facility should have been functional on April 18 with 250 beds, but the reopening was delayed by a day as the military doctors required some last-minute arrangements to be made. There will be no formal inauguration of the hospital.

DRDO medical facility was closed in the first week of February 2021 after the daily Coronavirus cases decreased. The hospital was earlier working with 1,000 beds.

Augmenting health infra on mission mode. @DRDO_India is set to reopen its dedicated COVID facility in Delhi.

🔹250 beds to be ready by Monday, to be increased to 500 in a few days.
🔸All beds with oxygen
🔹Sufficient ventilators
🔸Zero charges
🔹Medical team from armed forces pic.twitter.com/GX3tRYHeg6

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) April 18, 2021

Key Highlights:

•  The Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan informed that the number of beds in the DRDO medical facility will be 500, as 250 beds will be added within few days.

•  Beds at the DRDO medical facility will have the provision for giving oxygen to the patients and there are also enough ventilators at the hospital.

•  Patients at the facility will be treated free and an RT-PCR COVID-19 positive report and Aadhar Card will be required for admission.

•  The hospital will be functioning under a Major General from the medical wing of the military.

•  A medical team from the armed forces will be looking after the facility.

•  As per the WHO standards, there will also be a large number of monitoring equipment, basic testing facilities, ventilators, and air-conditioning at the hospital.

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID Hospital:

250 additional ICU beds were added to the hospital in November 2020 in order to provide treatment to the patients. The addition took the total number of ICU beds at the facility to 500 though the total capacity of the hospital, which is spread over 25,000 square meters, stayed the same (1,000 beds).

COVID-19 cases in Delhi:

Delhi has been seeing a tremendous spike in COVID-19 cases, leaving Maharashtra behind. According to the Health bulletin from the administration, the National Capital has recorded an increase of over 25,000 Coronavirus cases on April 19, 2021, which is the highest ever since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

The city also saw 161 people succumbing to the disease. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal mentioned the spike as a ‘major health concern’.