Delhi: Rajnath Singh visits Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital, lauds DRDO

On Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the DRDO-built Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 hospital at Ulan Batar Road near Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, and DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy were also present at the site.

The facility has been constructed in just 12 days on a piece of land belonging to the Ministry of Defence. This 1000-bed COVID hospital with 250 ICU beds is to be operated by the Armed Forces Medical Services and is fully equipped with facilities for patients like medical oxygen gas, PPE kits, ventilators, covid-testing facility and other lab tests. 

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"The DRDO, Ministry of Home Affairs, Tata Sons Industries and with support of many organisations this 1,000-bed temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients has been set up. The speciality about this hospital is that it has been set up in just 12 days," Singh told ANI.

While speaking with ANI, the defence minister said that DRDO, Ministry of Home Affairs, Tata Sons Industries and many organisations were instrumental in the construction of the temporary hospital.

"I have been given the information that more than 250 intensive care unit beds have been established here. It is a perfect hospital. This hospital has been set up as per the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation," he added.

"I congratulate all the agencies working tirelessly towards making this Hospital a wonderful example in enhancing our preparedness against the menace of COVID-19," he said.

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"A joint effort of Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Union Health Ministry, Tata Sons, Delhi Government and other Industries provides a holistic Covid care facility in Delhi," DRDO said in another tweet.

The national capital has reported 2,505 fresh cases in 24 hours. According to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Delhi's COVID-19 tally has reached 97,200. Out of the total cases, 25,940 are active, 68,256 have been cured and 3,004 have died so far after contracting the infection. However, the recovery rate in the national capital has improved to 70.22 percent.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who is also looking after the health care in absence of Health Minister Satyendra Jain, said on Saturday that the positivity rate of Delhi has come down to 10.58 percent as against earlier 36.94 percent. Positivity rate means the number of people coming positive out of the total tests conducted regularly. This comes as welcome news after after he earlier claimed that the COVID-19 count in Delhi might go up to 5.5 lakh cases by the end of July.

(Image source: @rajnathsingh | Twitter)