The IAF has ordered 24x7 readiness of the entire heavy lift transport fleet and substantial numbers of the medium lift fleets to operate in a hub and spoke model to rapidly meet all COVID-related tasking across the country and overseas, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM) RKS Bhadauria told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
“PM stressed on the need to increase the speed, scale and safety of operations in transporting oxygen tankers and other essential material. PM spoke about the need to ensure that the IAF personnel engaged in COVID related operations remain safe from infection,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “He also spoke about the need to ensure safety of all COVID-related operations,” it said.
“Aircrew for all fleets have been augmented to ensure round the clock operations,” ACM Bhadauria told Mr. Modi. He said the IAF is deploying big and medium sized aircraft to cover all terrains.
ACM Bharaudia also briefed about a dedicated COVID Air Support Cell set up by the IAF to ensure faster co-ordination with different Ministries and agencies.
The IAF has achieved near saturation in vaccination coverage, ACM Bhadauria said when Mr. Modi inquired about the health of the personnel and their families. He also said hospitals under the IAF have increased COVID facilities and also allowing civilians wherever possible.
Army facility for civilian patients
In response to the medical assistance sought by the government of Jharkhand, the Military Hospital, Namkum in Ranchi, has opened a 50-bed COVID-care facility for civilian patients, the Army said.
To cater to the requirements of veterans and dependants, the Base Hospital Delhi Cantonment has been converted into a COVID hospital. At the start of the current COVID wave, it catered to 340 COVID beds of which just 250 were oxygenated, the Army said. With the surge in cases, a plan was put in place to expand the capacity to 650 COVID beds of which 450 will be oxygenated by April 30. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is also being enhanced from 12 to 35 ICU beds by Thursday.
The next phase of expansion will see the capacity being augmented to 900 oxygenated beds by the second week of June, the Army said.
