DRDO helping Centre improve medical infra: Satheesh Reddy

Vijayawada: The DRDO is working with other Central government organisations, labs and private industries to develop infrastructure facilities to combat Covid in the country, said Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman G Satheesh Reddy.

He said the DRDO has given assistance for setting up oxygen plants, production of small oxygen cylinders and produced drugs in the fight against Covid. Satheesh Reddy on Sunday participated in a programme conducted by Krishna District Writers Association in a hotel at Gandhinagar here.

The association felicitated the DRDO chairman, who hails from Nellore district. Interestingly Satheesh Reddy is a lover of literature and loves to participate in literary programmes.

Later, interacting with the media Satheesh Reddy said the DRDO is not only working in the defence sector but also working in co-ordination with other Central government organisations and private industries to develop infrastructure facilities and helping in the production of medical equipment required for Covid treatment.

He said efforts were on for large-scale production of 10 kg portable small oxygen cylinders in the country. He said the Central government will distribute 10 kg small cylinders that can be used at home by Covid patients.

He said over 1,500 Oxygen plants were set up in the country with a view to produce 1,000 litres of liquid oxygen every minute to cater to the needs of the Covid hospitals in the country.

Recalling the efforts of DRDO to combat the Covid second wave, Satheesh Reddy said the AIIMS Delhi had set up Oxygen plant in 15 days and later such plants were set up in many parts of the country to cater to the needs of the Covid hospitals and patients.

Referring to PPE kits, he said only 47,000 PPE kits were produced in the country before Covid to meet the requirements of the defence personnel and other departments. He said PPE kits production crossed six lakh units per day after the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. He said technology was transferred from DRDO to other industries for massive production of PPE kits in the country. He said the production of ventilators too increased on a large-scale in the country during the second wave of Covid.

Satheesh Reddy said the country achieved rapid progress in the speedy construction of makeshift Covid hospitals and Covid centres with facilities like oxygen supply and ventilators.

He said 20 industries in the private sector were producing the equipment required for setting up Oxygen plants in the country.