Indian Railways Getting Ready To Provide Medical Support To National Efforts In Fighting COVID-19

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Indian Railways is making an all out effort to supplement the health care efforts of  Government of India. The spectrum of steps include modification  of passenger coaches as isolation coaches, equipping the existing Railway Hospitals to meet the COVID needs, earmarking of hospital beds to meet the contingencies, recruitment of additional doctors & paramedics etc.

All these facilities will be made available as mandated by the Government of India to those in need.The preparations are being done across all the zones under the supervision  GMs and Medical professionals of Indian Railways.

Indian Railways is planning to initially modify 5000 passenger  coaches to meet the  requirement of any  possible exigency of keeping some corona patients in isolation as and when required by Government. These coaches would be equipped with basic facilities needed for isolation as per medical guidelines. In case need be, more coaches can be modified. Coaches are also going to be equipped with mosquito  nets,charging points for mobiles & laptop, space for paramedics etc. These coaches would  be prepared zone wise.

Railways has 125 hospitals in India and of that more than 70 are being planned to be kept ready to be for any contingency as and when required. Efforts are being made to designate dedicated COVID wards or floors in these hospitals. Approximately  6500 hospital beds are being made ready to meet the possible needs of patients.

Indian Railways has already  given a go ahead to Zonal heads to explore the possibility of hiring doctors and paramedics from the market and also to re-employ retired railway  doctors as a temporary measure to meet the increased requirement of medical supervision and assist the authorities in charge of  COVID- 19 control management in the region.

It may be noted that these efforts of Indian Railways have been mounted not only to supplement the efforts of the Government of India but also to contribute to the national efforts to fight the coranavirus.