Indian Railways will deploy Thousands of Doctors for Coronavirus Patients
Indian Railways has decided to deploy more than 2.5 thousand doctors and more than 35 thousand paramedical staff to assist in the fight against the Covid-19. Apart from this, Railways is providing about three and a quarter lakh beds in more than 20 thousand coaches that are converted as quarantine and isolation wards. According to official sources, the effort of Indian Railways in the war against COVID-19, it has decided to facilitate the existing railway hospitals with the requirements of COVID-19. To deal with emergencies, steps like fixing hospital beds, deployment of Jeevan ventilator and recruiting doctors and paramedical personnel are some of the bold measures taken by the railways.
Indian Railways Health Services are ready to combat the Coronavirus
According to sources; the railway is ready to face any challenge in the fight against Covid-19 an army of 2546 doctors, 35153 paramedical personnel including nursing staff, pharmacists and other category employees. Recently, Indian Railways received the order from Union Railways minister for providing health services to the central government employees. So, railway health services have now been made available to all central government employees across the country. In Railways, health services specialist includes primary, secondary and tertiary care services. Indian Railways have a total of 45 sub divisional hospitals,56 divisional hospitals, 8 production units’,586 health units, hospitals and 16 zonal hospitals across the country.A large part of these facilities will be dedicated to combating the coronavirus pandemic.
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Railways Creating 80000 Beds for Quarantine Isolation
In addition to these, Railways have started converting coaches to on-wheel isolation facilities. The initial phase is converting 5000 train coaches across the country to serve as quarantine isolation. The work for the same has been started by the zonal railways. The conversion work of 3750 coaches has been completed. Apart from railways coaches, it has planned to create 80000 beds to combat the coronavirus epidemic.
Railways have made Six Lakh Masks and 40000 Litres of Sanitizer
The entire country is in a race to combat the Corona Pandemic. All the departments including the Railways are participating in this war. In this series, Railways have made about six lakhs reusable masks and more than 40000 liters of sanitizer. All the zones, production units and PSUs of the railway are included in it. Some zones like WR, NCR, NWR, CR, ISR and WCR were ahead in this regard. Masks and sanitizers are also being made available to contract workers along with employees.
Railway workshops, coaching depots and hospitals are making sanitizers and masks at the local level so that supplies are accessible to all. The CPRO said that “All possible measures are being taken to prevent coronavirus infection at workplaces. Masks and sanitizers are being provided to all the employees on duty. Free handwashing facility is provided at all vulnerable places with local innovations. Social distancing is being ensured. Awareness in this regard is being spread among all the employees like trackman, gateman, locomotive pilot etc.”
5000 Beds are identified in 17 Dedicated Hospitals of Indian Railways
5000 beds are identified in 17 dedicated hospitals of Indian Railways and 33 hospital blocks of railway hospitals for treating corona positive patients.These hospitals and blocks are being built for this purpose. Along with this, 11000 quarantine beds have been provided on railway premises for emergencies. Railway health services have been made available to all employees of the Central Government on the display of their identity cards in railway hospitals. Adequate availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ventilators, etc. will be important in the fight against Covid-19. Steps have been taken by the railway’s zone and production units to mobilize ventilators, PPE and medical equipment to meet requirements to fight Covid-19. It is noteworthy that the railway has already started manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE) at the war level. It is striving to produce about 1000 PPE per day; the number of them can be further increased later.