This story is from July 2, 2020

Delhi: 2,300 beds ready for use, says MHA

Delhi: 2,300 beds ready for use, says MHA
Picture for representational purpose only.
NEW DELHI: Reacting to the Delhi government’s allegation, the Union home ministry sources said that a total of 2,300 beds with “sufficient” ICU capacity had been made available and would be ready for use as and when required by the state administration.
“Regarding the promise to provide 2,000 beds, the 1,000-bed Covid hospital developed by DRDO will be operational soon and will have nearly 250 ICU beds.
Besides, 500 beds have been made available in AIIMS, Jhajjar; 350 in ESI hospital, Okhla; 50 in All India Institute of Ayurveda, Sarita Vihar; 150 additional beds in Base Hospital of the Army; 180 isolation beds in the NCC camp near Base hospital and 120 beds by MHA at Bawana, Chhawla and Jharoda Kalan,” an MHA source said.
The source added that Delhi government had been informed of the situation by Union health ministry on June 17.
MHA sources said that 503 train coaches of around 8,000 beds capacity had been arranged and their placement and deployment was being done as per need. “Since only 24 patients have been referred to these coaches so far, the remaining are awaiting the deployment,” an official said.
He added that a 10,000-bed Covid care centre had been operationalised in Chhatarpur by the ITBP-led Central Armed Police Forces. “As on July 1, total Covid-19 dedicated beds available in Delhi were 15,243 against which only 5,747 are occupied. Hence, the idle capacity in the health system is around 62%,” the official said.
MHA sources said the RT-PCR testing had also been ramped up to a level of nearly 10,000 per day after June 14 from an earlier level of 4,000-5,000 per day. With the provision of “sufficient number” of antigen kits, the combined testing was around 16,000-20,000 per day, which would be further ramped up, said an official. “There is no shortage of testing kits and they will be supplied as per need and demand,” he added.

Over allegations of frequent transfers, MHA sources said eight officials of “proven” capabilities had been sent to Delhi from outlying segments and the Centre and the state government had “sufficient strength” to take care of field operations, monitoring and supervision.
“The transfer of officers is done at the level of LG depending on the assessment of the situation,” said an MHA source.
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