A Chetak helicopter from Eastern Naval Command hovered over GITAM Institute of Medical Science and Research (GIMSR) and Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases (GHCCD) on Sunday morning and showered flower petals on the doctors, staff nurses, paramedics and sanitation staff, who gathered at the premises.
This was done as part of the armed forces gesture across the country to show solidarity with the ‘corona warriors’ in the frontline such as doctors, nurses, other health workers, hygiene and sanitation staff, police personnel and media personnel, who have been risking their lives and relentlessly fighting the COVID and containing the spread of the pandemic.
Earlier, Cmde Sanjeev Issar Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh) felicitated the ‘corona warriors’ at Visakhapatnam on behalf of Eastern Naval Command (ENC) . He presented a bouquet to P.V. Sudhakar, Principal, Andhra Medical College, K.V.V. Vijaya Kumar, Superintendent, Govt. Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases, and Surya Kumari, Covid Nodal Officer at GHCCD, and N. Dwarakanath, Medical Superintendent, GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research. While GIMSR is the COVID hospital designated by the State government, GHCCD is an isolation centre.
Later in the evening two ships from the ENC, INS Rana, a Rajput-class destroyer, and INS Kamorta, an anti-submarine stealth corvette, at the anchorage off RK Beach was illuminated from 7.30 p.m. to midnight.
The ships also fired flares signifying good wishes for the health of the citizens.
Speaking to The Hindu, C.V. Rao Pro-Vice Chancellor of GIMSR, and Dr. Sudhakar said that it was a honour and appreciated the gesture of the armed forces.