G Noida: Nearly half of paramilitary jawans who contracted Covid-19 discharged in three weeks
GREATER NOIDA: As many as 96 personnel from different paramilitary forces, who had caught the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease while on duty, have been discharged so far from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) referral hospital at Lakhnawali camp in Greater Noida. Officials said the personnel were discharged after spending their mandatory span of quarantine in the isolation ward of the hospital. Till date, a total of 210 Covid-19-positive CAPF jawans have been admitted to this hospital.
According to Dr Dinesh Chandra Dimri, inspector general (medical) and the in-charge of the hospital, out of the total patients, 158 belong to the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 38 to the Border Security Force (BSF), five to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), two to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and one each to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and National Security Guard (NSG). “Besides them, four family members of CAPF personnel and one civilian had been admitted to the hospital after they had tested positive for Covid-19. The hospital was declared a designated Covid-19 hospital for CAPF personnel on May 1. Since then, we have treated and discharged 96 coronavirus patients, which include 66 from ITBP, 28 from BSF and one each from the CRPF and the CISF,” he said.
He further said that the hospital has ample supply of protective equipment such as personal protective equipment (PPEs) and masks. “We are using the latest and advanced technology to help treat our patients. Recently, we introduced robotic machines, which are being used to serve food, water, medicine to patients without anyone coming in direct or indirect contact of the patients. These machines can be operated and navigated through remote control,” he said.
He added that over 25 doctors, besides over 75 nurses and para-medical staff, are involved in treating Covid patients at the CAPF referral hospital. “They have been classified into different groups. When a group’s job is over after treating patients in their respective units, we send that particular group on 14 days’ mandatory quarantine as a precautionary measure,” he said.
Meanwhile, doctors treating Covid-19 patients in the hospital said that despite many odds, their efforts have not wavered. Dr Shailendra, a specialist physician, said he has not gone for the past 20-25 days. “To provide round-the-clock services to my patients, I am residing in the officers’ mess which is adjacent to the hospital. Of course, I miss my family. But treating these brave soldiers, who have been infected while performing their duties, is more important,” he said.
Echoing similar views, Dr Pawan and Dr Pipreet, also said they derive happiness from the fact that a lot of jawans are treated and discharged. “It gives a different type of job satisfaction. The organisation or the nation is the first family for every soldier,” they said.