New Delhi: With 3,32,730 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours – the second day in succession when the numbers of new cases exceeded the three lakh figure, armed forces have been pressed into service to ensure supply of medicines, medical equipment and oxygen cylinders in the country. Total 2,263 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, the government claimed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired high-level meeting today on Covid-19 situation with Chief Ministers of 11 states and Union Territories which have reported maximum number of cases in recently, noted that the virus is affecting several states as well as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities at once. His discussion with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal went live on TV for some time, leading to a controversy as the Prime Minister objected to the “in-house meeting” being telecast live. Kejriwal expressed his regrets.
Indian Air Force (IAF) today swung into action by carrying out sorties from various parts of the country to airlift oxygen containers, cylinders, essential medicines, equipment required for setting up and sustaining COVID hospitals and facilities in the fight against fresh surge in COVID-19 cases.
The IAF transport aircraft and helicopters have been pressed into service for carrying out these tasks. These include transport aircraft C-17, C-130J, IL-76, An-32 and Avro. Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters are on standby. Tasks undertaken include airlift of doctors and nursing staff from Kochi, Mumbai, Vizag and Bangalore for various hospitals at Delhi.
The C-17 and IL-76 aircraft of IAF have started airlifting big empty oxygen tankers from their place of use to the filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of much needed oxygen. In addition to this, the C-17 and IL-76 have transported large quantity of load comprising bio safety cabinets and autoclave machines for setting up of an additional COVID test facility at Leh. The IAF transport and helicopter assets are on standby to be deployed at short notice.
The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) today decided to import oxygen generation plants and containers from Germany, amid shortage of oxygen in the hospitals during the second wave of Covid-19 across the country. Twenty-three mobile oxygen generation plants are being airlifted from Germany that will be deployed in AFMS hospitals catering to the COVID patients. Each plant has a capacity to produce 40 litres of oxygen per minute and 2,400 litres an hour. At this rate, it can cater to 20-25 patients round the clock.
The Defence ministry has further sanctioned delegation of emergency financial powers to Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) to fight the recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country. As per the order issued today, emergency financial powers have been delegated to Director General Medical Services (Army, Navy, Air Force), head of Medical Branches at Formation/Command Headquarters of the three forces, Andaman & Nicobar Command and Joint Staff including Command Medical Officers of Navy and Principal Medical Officers of Air Force (Major General and equivalent/Brigadiers and equivalent).
The emergency financial powers have been delegated under Sl No 8.1 of Schedule 8 of Medical Schedule of Powers (MSP) to Delegation of Financial Powers to Defence Services (DFPDS) 2016. The delegated financial powers are as given below:-
· DGsMS (Army/Navy/Air Force) – Rs 500 lakh
· Major General & equivalent – Rs 300 lakh
· Brigadier & equivalent – Rs 200 lakh
Emergency powers to these Lower CFAs have been delegated upto September 30, 2021 with a provision for revision/extension to expedite procurement of medical items/materials/stores and provisioning of various services for treatment/management/tackling of COVID-19 cases.
With regard to the shortage of Remdesivir injections for COVID patients, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya said 25 new manufacturing sites for Remdesivir’s production had been approved since April 12. He claimed production capacity was now ramped up to ≥90 lakhs vials per month, as against 40 lakhs vials/month earlier.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, who today chaired a high level meeting to review the preparedness of the Central Government Hospitals in the national capital – Safdurjung Hospital, Dr RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, and AIIMS, New Delhi, said most of the States and Union Territories are reporting a very high number of daily cases and the daily mortality has also increased.
– global bihari bureau
