RINL mulls 1,000-bed Covid facility in Vizag

VISAKHAPATNAM: Amid the surge of Covid second wave, RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, said it has been pulling up all its resources to set up a massive 1,000-bed Covid care facility at Ukkunagaram township in Visakhapatnam. 

“RINL-VSP is using all its internal resources and available facilities for the 1000-bed Covid care hospital facility on its premises. It plans to convert all community halls and public halls in the township into hospital wards for the treatment of Covid patients in a phased manner,” it said.

Fabrication work for cots for the hospital is going on in a full swing at Utility Equipment Repair Shop (UERS) inside the plant premises. All necessary material procurement and arrangements to facilitate clinical delivery of medical oxygen near the beds are being expedited.

As a part of the first step towards arranging a 1000 bed facility, the Gurajada Kalakshetram, a popular function hall, is being turned into a Covid Care Centre. All the wards of 110-bed Visakha Steel General Hospital have been converted to Covid wards except for the emergency ward for non-Covid cases, according to an RINL release said.  

Meanwhile, RINL has supplied about 1,200 tons of liquid oxygen since April 13 and most of the LMO was supplied to AP. It also supplied 100 tons in the first Oxygen Express to Maharashtra on April 22. As per government allocation plan, RINL is  also extending support to Karnataka.

“Since the onset of the pandemic RINL has dispatched 11,000 tons of LMO to various destinations. The distribution and dispatches of LMO is being done as per the guideline of Drug Controller Authority of India. RINL is committed to stand by the nation during the crisis and will extend all the support to meet the Oxygen requirement,” the release said.