Delhi inaugurates world's largest COVID care facility with 10,000 beds
Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal on Sunday inaugurated a 10,000-bed COVID care facility in the national capital. The Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre and Hospital (SPCCCH) has been set up at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas in South Delhi's Chhattarpur. Roughly the size of 20 football fields, authorities say that it is the largest such facility in the world. Here are more details.
SPCCCH has 200 enclosures with 50 beds each
According to PTI, the COVID care center is 1,700 feet long and 700 feet wide. It has 200 enclosures, each having a capacity of 50 beds. Although the Delhi government has provided administrative support, the facility will be operated by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Volunteers from the religious sect of Radha Soami Beas will help run the facility.
Our doctors, nurses, paramedics will run this facility: ITBP DG
ITBP Director-General SS Deswal was quoted as saying by ANI, "Our doctors, nurses, and paramedic staff will take care of this COVID-19 care facility." He added, "The ITBP has experience of several months in handling COVID patients. Initially, the ITBP was deployed at quarantine centers. We are also running a 200-bed center for the police forces in Noida."
10% of all beds to have oxygen facilities
According to ANI, Baijal said that 10% of beds at SPCCCH will have oxygen facilities. He said the facility has counselors for patients experiencing mental trauma. The facility will also have gaming facilities to keep the patients' spirits high. Initially, the ITBP will only operationalize 2,000 beds with 170 doctors and specialists and over 700 nurses and paramedics, Hindustan Times reported.
DRDO sets up 1,000-bed hospital in 11 days
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has also created a temporary hospital in Delhi. The 1,000-bed facility was created in just 11 days. It has been created near the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport on land belonging to the Ministry of Defence. A Home Ministry official told PTI that the Armed forces will run this facility, which has 250 ICU beds.
How bad is the COVID-19 situation in Delhi?
As of Saturday, Delhi had reported 97,200 COVID-19 cases, the third-highest for any Indian state or union territory. Only 25,940 of the total cases are active while 3,004 patients have also died. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet on Sunday, "Less and less people in Delhi are now requiring hospitalization." He said 9,900 COVID-19 hospital beds in the city are free.
