NEW DELHI – The Indian armed forces will recall retired medical personnel to assist with handling the surge in coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office said on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Modi reviewed the military’s efforts to counter the pandemic with Gen Bipin Rawat, the chief of the defence staff (CDS).
“The CDS briefed the Prime Minister that all medical personnel from the armed forces who have retired or taken pre-mature retirement in the last two years are being recalled to work in Covid facilities within proximity of their present place of residence. Other medical officers who retired earlier have also been requested to make their services available for consultation through medical emergency helplines,” the office said in a statement.
Meanwhile, all medical officers serving at various military headquarters will be deployed to hospitals. To assist doctors, large numbers of nursing personnel are being employed as well.
“The Prime Minister was also briefed that oxygen cylinders available with armed forces in various establishments will be released for hospitals. The CDS also said that they are creating medical facilities in large numbers and where possible military medical infrastructure will be made available to civilians. The Prime Minister also reviewed the operations being undertaken by IAF to transport oxygen and other essentials in India and abroad,” the statement added.
With 17.3 million cases, India comes second in terms of the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, following the United States with more than 32 million cases. India’s COVID-19 tally has been increasing rapidly since mid-February, continually setting daily records in new cases.
Indians are advised to wear face protection at home, especially if there is a suspected COVID-19 patient in the family, senior health official Vinod Paul said.
“The time has come that we start wearing a mask even when at home,” he told a news conference.
Oxygen aid
France will deliver oxygen units as medical aid to support India in its fight against a deadly surge of the second wave of COVID-19, the Foreign Ministry announced Apr 26.
The “exceptional solidarity operation” was being mobilised in response to the needs expressed by Indian authorities and upon President Emmanuel Macron’s request, Anadolu Agency quoted a statement by the ministry.
The aid is also part of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) activated by the European Commission for Crisis Management on April 25 and is being delivered amid reports that India is facing an acute oxygen crisis at health facilities. Several hospitals across India are reporting oxygen shortages and are frantically seeking emergency assistance as a new virus variant has hit the country hard with a record surge of COVID-19 cases.
Eight medical oxygen production units, each with a capacity to continuously supply oxygen to 250 beds, will be transported by the end of this week. The units are permanent installations producing medical oxygen from the oxygen present in the ambient air and will make an Indian hospital autonomous in oxygen for 10 years. The provision of devices for filling oxygen cylinders will also be included.
In addition, at least five liquefied oxygen containers, each of which can support up to 10,000 patients over a day, as well as specialised equipment of 28 respirators and 200 electric syringe pumps will be part of the aid.
The material is intended to respond to the emergency and also to sustainably strengthen the capacities of Indian hospitals to treat the sick and fight against the pandemic, the statement said.
“France and India have always stood in solidarity with each other in difficult times. This solidarity is at the heart of our strategic partnership and of the friendship between the French and Indian peoples,” it added.
Temporary ban
The Malaysian government yesterday agreed to impose a temporary ban on flights to and from India beginning April 28, to prevent the spread of a new variant of the COVID-19 disease in the country.
Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said travellers who embarked on a journey from any destination in India, either via direct flight or transit to Malaysia, were prohibited from entering the country.
“This ban also applies to passengers who transit in Malaysia en route to another country, however, an exemption will be given to Malaysian citizens.
“Ships with a history of travel from India in the last 14 days are not allowed the sign-off procedure in Malaysia, except for Malaysian crew, who will be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine,” he said in a statement.
He said the temporary ban was also imposed on Indian citizens who held valid temporary employment visit passes (PLKS) for Malaysia, as well as students and business travellers.
Ismail Sabri said Malaysians – including students, employees, spouses and children of Malaysians living in India, as well as members of religious groups who were in the country, were allowed to enter Malaysia with a mandatory 14-day quarantine procedure at gazetted quarantine stations.
