Visakhapatnam: RINL readying 1K-bed Covid care facility

Visakhapatnam: Amid surge in second wave of Covid pandemic, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) is gearing up to contribute to Covid care by building facilities to treat 1,000 patients in Ukkunagaram township of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

Utilising its internal resources and available facilities, RINL embarked upon a massive 1,000-bed Covid care facility for the first time.

The step was taken following a review meeting held with the Steel Minister in order to tackle the growing number of coronavirus cases across the district.

Currently, fabrication work for cots for the facility is in progress at Utility Equipment Repair Shop (UERS) at the plant. All the necessary material procurement and arrangements to facilitate the clinical delivery of medical oxygen to the patients are being expedited.

Initially, Gurajada Kalakshetram, a huge function hall in Ukkunagaram, is being converted into a Covid Care Centre. Further, various community halls and public halls/spaces will be converted into hospital wards for treatment of Covid patients in a phased manner.

Except a ward in Visakhapatnam Steel General Hospital to treat non-Covid cases, the rest of the wards have already been converted into Covid wards.

Liquid medical oxygen supply: Extending its support to the nation in meeting liquid medical oxygen shortage, RINL continues to supply LMO. More than 2,200 tonnes of LMO was dispatched to various parts of the country, including Andhra Pradesh that received large quantities of the LMO, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Since the onset of this pandemic, RINL dispatched a cumulative 11,000 tonnes of LMO to various destinations.