Govt ropes in armed forces for COVID-19 response

The government has roped in armed forces for COVID-19 response, sources informed CNBC-TV18 on Friday. IAF has airlifted doctors and nurses from Kochi, Vizag and Mumbai for operations at DRDO COVID hospital in Delhi, they said.

IAF has been roped in for faster deployment of oxygen cylinder, medical staff and equipment. Efforts are underway to airlift 23 mobile oxygen generation plants from Germany, sources further said.

The base hospital in Delhi cantonment is being converted into a 1,000 bed COVID hospital. Oxygen concentrators also being procured, sources add.

Two C17s have been used for airlifting cryogenic oxygen containers within India.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a series of meetings on Friday, including one with chief ministers of states with a high burden of COVID-19 cases. Official sources said he will review the COVID-19-related situation in an internal meeting followed by the meeting with chief ministers an hour later via videoconference.

At 12:30 pm today, he will hold a meeting with leading oxygen manufacturers in the country, they added. With the COVID cases rising at a rapid pace in the country, Modi has been chairing regular meetings to review the situation.