Union Minister lauds Army medical COVID related assistance for Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir

Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services assured the minister about the number of beds which will be increased depending upon the situation

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has lauded the Army medical COVID- related assistance for Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir, and appreciated the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for responding to step in at the early stage of pandemic, in  order to supplement the diagnostic and treatment facilities in the initial phase of preparedness.

In the context of Northeast, General Banerji briefed Dr Singh about the latest developments and current status. He disclosed that while in Arunachal Pradesh, Military Hospital Tenga had 80 designated beds for COVID and two ICU beds, Military Hospital at Likabali has 82 designated beds for COVID and two ICU beds. Similarly, at Jorhat in Assam and Shillong in Meghalaya, Armed forces Medical Services had made available 110 and 247 designated COVID beds respectively, in addition to 10 and 4 ICU beds respectively.  

While receiving an update from the Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services (DG AFMS), Lt Gen Anup Banerji,  Dr Singh had a special word of praise for the Army Command Hospital in Udhampur which had earmarked 200 designated beds for COVID cases and six beds in ICU for critical cases including civilian patients, in the  beginning itself. 

Similarly, he noted that the Army Hospital in Srinagar had also designated 124 beds and Army Hospital in Rajouri had designated 82 beds for COVID cases in order to supplement the facilities set up by health authorities of the Union Territory government. In addition, the Command Hospital Udhampur was also providing diagnostic facilities right from the beginning, he added. 

Dr Singh appreciated the proactive support in the initial stages of COVID pandemic which had also contributed in reducing the disease burden.  He also mentioned the quarantine camps and isolation facilities set up by the Armed Forces Medical Services. 

Director General AFMS informed the minister that the number of such hospitals is being enhanced depending upon the situation and availability of equipment from suppliers. He assured the minister that in future also, the number of beds will be increased depending upon the situation.