100-bed COVID-19 hospital built by Tata Steel BSL in Dhenkanal

Dhenkanal: Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated a 100-bed COVID-19 hospital facility developed by Tata Steel BSL, near its plant in the Dhenkanal district of Odisha.

Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik, Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo, local MLAs Simarani Nayak, Sudhir Kumar Samal, district collectors Bhumesh Chandra Behera, Tata Steel BSL chairman T. V. Narendran and Tata Steel BSL Managing Director Rajeev Singhal were also present for the inauguration.

Situated at the Kharagprasad Regional Higher Secondary School under Odapada block of the district, the hospital has 50 beds with pipped oxygen, 40 beds with oxygen concentrators and 10 ventilator supported ICU beds apart from other medical equipment necessary for providing secondary level care to COVID-19 patients.

Commending Tata Steel BSL and district administration for developing the hospital so fast, Pradhan, said, “This hospital will strengthen health infrastructure of the region, particularly the people of Dhenkanal and Angul.”

He said keeping in view of the next wave of the pandemic, we should be prepared.

 Speaking on the occasion, Das said, this hospital will go a long way in supporting the fight against COVID in the region.

With more facility for treatment of COVID patients coming up in interior areas, this will help the patients to get quality healthcare service at right time, instead of visiting cities, he added.

 Thanking the government for their constant support during the execution of this project, Narendran said, “Tata Steel and Tata Group have been working with government both at the centre and state on the response to COVID. Apart from supplying more than 45,000 Tons of Oxygen from 1st of April till date, we have also been importing containers, setting up medical care and facilities and we are always happy to have the opportunity to do so.”

 Adding to this, Singhal said, “With active and continued help from the government, this COVID-19 hospital was made operational in a record period of two weeks. The hospital has round the clock doctors, paramedics, lab services, X-Ray facility, two Advanced Cardiac Life Support Ambulances and other necessary secondary care support services. We feel proud to have been able to contribute yet again, through this facility in the fight against the pandemic.”

In making this hospital functional, Tata Steel BSL undertook the necessary structural modifications of the school with support from district administration, arranged for piped oxygen, air conditioning, power supply, adequate lighting, water supply, oxygen manifold for the supply of oxygen, etc. and also constructed a waiting hall.

Five pre-fabricated structures were also added to serve as administration block, chambers for doctors and paramedics, donning and doffing rooms, toilets, etc.. As per government guidelines, a dedicated free ‘Fever Clinic’ for suspected COVID-19 cases and antigen testing facility has also been set up.