RINL-VSP to build 1,000 bed Covid Care Hospital facility

Amid the surge, in the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, also known as Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL-VSP), for the first time, is using all its internal resources for building a 1,000-bed Covid care hospital facility on its premises at Ukkunagaram, a township of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. On Friday, a review meeting was held by the Minister of Steel, Government of India, wherein he directed the RINL collective to build facilities for providing Covid Care to patients.

The fabrication work for Covid Care Hospital is going on in full swing at the Utility Equipment Repair Shop (UERS) inside plant premises. All the necessary material procurement, and arrangements, to facilitate the clinical delivery of medical oxygen near the patient bed are being expedited.

As a first step, Gurajada Kalakshetram in Ukkunagaram township of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant will be turned into a 100-bed Covid Care Centre (50 normal beds, 50 oxygen beds). Later, in a phased manner, various community halls and public halls/spaces will be converted into hospital wards for treatment of Covid patients. All the wards of the Visakha Steel General Hospital (approximately 110 beds) have been converted to Covid wards, except one for emergency Non-Covid cases.

Image: Cots under fabrication inside the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Liquid Medical Oxygen Supply

With the prevailing oxygen demand in the nation, RINL has been continuously supplying Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO). For the financial year 2021-22, since April 13, more than 2,200 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) have been dispatched. These dispatches are mostly for Andhra Pradesh, while 100 tons were supplied in the First Oxygen Express, to Maharashtra. As per the government allocation plan, RINL is also extending support to Karnataka.

RINL has already dispatched a cumulative 11,000 tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen to various destinations in the country. The distribution and dispatches of LMO are being done as per the guidelines of the Drug Controller Authority of India.