The Army on Monday said it was actively considering a request to take over the medical screening at the Narela quarantine camp run by the Home Ministry.
“It is clarified that there is no increase in strength of Army medical personnel at Narela camp as of now. Request to take over only the medical screening set up at the camp has been received. The request is under process and details are still being worked out,” the Army said.
Army medical team
In the first instance of Army doctors being deployed to help civil administration within the country to help tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, an Army medical team, including two doctors and two nursing assistants, was deployed at the Narela camp at the end of last week. Prior to this, Army medical teams were deployed only at services-run quarantine centres.
Separately, the Defence Ministry said in a tweet that a “Medical team of four doctors, eight nursing assistants and seven security personnel [have been] deployed at Narela quarantine camp to provide medical cover.” It is not clear from which of the services the additional personnel were drawn.
NCC cadets drafted
In a statement, the Defence Ministry said civil and police administration had started requisitioning the services of senior division National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak under the “Exercise NCC Yogdan”.
“The Union Territory of Ladakh has requisitioned for employment of eight cadets in supply chain management.
The Neemuch Superintendent of Police has requested Madhya Pradesh and the Chhattisgarh Directorate for services of 245 cadets in supply chain and traffic management,” the statement said.
On the request of the District Police of Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, 57 cadets have been assembled. In all, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andaman Nicobar Directorate has provided services of 75 cadets in Tamil Nadu and 57 in Puducherry, the MoD said.
A requisition has also been received from Deputy Commissioner of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh for services of 86 cadets till April 14 to assist the police in ensuring social distancing in the city localities, the Ministry stated. There were also requests from Balrampur district administration in Uttar Pradesh and from Collector of Bilaspur.
The statement added that 80 cadets in East Khasi Hills district are assisting the Meghalaya Police in monitoring ration distribution and sensitisation between from April 6 to 8.