New Delhi: The Army will increase the number of beds in the Covid care centre at the Base Hospital Delhi Cantonment here for ex- servicemen and serving personnel, an official said here on Wednesday.
According to the official, the centre initially started with the 340 COVID beds of which just 250 Covid beds were oxygenated last year. The Army has decided to scale it up to 650, out of which 450 beds will be oxygenated by April 30.
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is also being enhanced from 12 beds 35 ICU beds by April 29. The next phase of expansion will see the augmentation up to 900 oxygenated beds by the second week of June 2021, the officials in the Army said.
For efficient patient management, a new COVID OPD under a specialist medical team has been functioning round the clock for screening positive patients for home isolation, investigation, treatment advice and admission under a single roof.
“This team clinically examines approximately 500 patients on a daily basis and appropriate medical advice is rendered. The endeavor is to ensure that all critical cases are provided appropriate treatment”, they further said.
Apart from these, a COVID tele-consultancy and Information Management Cell under a senior officer is functioning 24 x 7 rendering medical advice as well as information about admitted patients with due sensitivity and on an average, 1200-1300 calls are being handled by this cell.
The telephonic consultation including provision of expert medical advice, updates regarding admitted patients to relatives, guidance regarding bed availability and admissions, COVID test reports and also queries about vaccination.
Indian Army has also issued the telephone numbers 011-25683580,25683585,25683581 in addition to one Army line number 37176.
On Tuesday, the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved temporary hiring of additional contractual staff over and above the authorisation in 51 identified high pressure Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics across the country.
The contractual staffs, including one each of Medical Officer, Nursing Assistant, Pharmacist, Driver and Chowkidar for identified Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS)polyclinics, will be hired through Station Headquarters for night duty, beyond normal working hours, for a period of next three months.