A peek inside the temporary COVID-19 hospital built by DRDO

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The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), with major contribution from Tata Sons, built a 1000-bed COVID- 19 hospital with 250 ICU beds within 11 days in New Delhi. The Sardar Patel hospital became operational on July 5. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, visited Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID Hospital in Delhi. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy were also present. The hospital is built on the Air Force land near the airport and will be manned by armed forces personnel.

Need for a 1000-bed hospital

The national capital's health infrastructure became overburdened with COVID-19 cases which continue to surge even now, leading to this initiative. The country has been grappling with rising coronavirus cases on a daily basis. India has now become the third worst-hit nation, beating Russia. DRDO was asked to establish the facility. MHA and MoD discussed the urgent need of augmenting existing hospital beds in Delhi for COVID-19 patients. They discussed ways of deploying 1,000 hospital beds in less than 14 days.

1000-bed COVID hospital in 11 days

DRDO, along with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), armed forces, Tata Sons and key industry players built the facility in a short span of 11 days.

Design, development and operation

DRDO took permission from the Indian Air Force (IAF) about the land located near New Delhi Domestic Airport Terminal T1. The construction work began on June 23 at the site on Ulan Batar Road adjacent to Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) Headquarters. The hospital will be managed by the medical team with support from Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS). The facility will be maintained by the DRDO itself.

Free facilities

The COVID-19 patients referred by the district administration will be given free-of- cost treatment at this hospital. Critical cases will be transferred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

Contributors to the project

Tata Sons has been the major contributor along with others like Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Astra Microwave Products Limited (AMPL), Sri Venkateswara Engineers, Brahmos Private Limited, Bharat Forge, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). DRDO employees voluntarily contributed their one-day salary.

Facilities

The hospital has a separate patient admission block, medical block with pharmacy and laboratory. Also, it has accommodation for duty doctors and nurses and four modular patient blocks each with 250 beds.
The best part about corridor network is that it has been designed in such a way that patients and staff remain separated. Toilets are located between the blocks for easy access, both for patients and staff.

Self-sufficient patient blocks

The patient blocks are well equipped with Oxygen supply (for each bed), x-ray, ECG, ventilators, COVID Test Lab, Wheel Chairs, Stretchers, with other medical equipment.

Safety is a priority

The facility ensures safety for all. The security staff will monitor closed-circuit television (CCTV) and access control systems. The facility will have fire safety and control systems. Waste disposal processes have also been built inside the hospital facility.

Special names for COVID-wards

DRDO has come up with a decision to name different wards of new Sardar Patel COVID-19 Hospital after the Indian Army personnel, who lost their lives in the Galwan valley clash last month.

Management of operations

More than 2,000 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, along with doctors, are managing operations in the hospital.