Adopt villages to assist administration to combat COVID-19: Navy chief to naval units

New Delhi [India], May 13 (ANI): Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh on Wednesday appealed to naval units to adopt village(s) to assist the local administration in the fight against COVID.

In his message to navy personnel and ex-servicemen, Singh said, "Our teams put their shoulders on the wheel to support national effort. COVID-19 is spreading in rural areas, our naval units should adopt village(s) and render assistance like INS Chilka."

He mentioned the efforts are being put by the Navy to defeat the COVID pandemic.

"We have marked 111 ICU beds for civil use. 450 bedded additional capacities have been created. Over 200 personnel are deployed in COVID hospitals. Around 200 battlefield nursing assistants are being deployed. Every week we are training 75 nursing assistants to join in this effort," said the Navy chief.

Emphasising that the Navy is committed to providing absolute assistance to veterans, he said: "We are proud of our naval families. All veterans are and will be given full assistance at naval hospitals. We will collectively rise as a team in this adversity and do our best for the nation."

Last week, the Navy through its ab-initio training establishment at INS Chilka and under the aegis of Naval Officer-in-Charge (Odisha) had assisted the state administration in close coordination with Khurda district Collector in setting up a 150 bed COVID care centre for the patients of the district.

"The 150-bed isolation centre with additional 15-bed oxygen facility at INHS Nivarini, the naval hospital, is all geared up for treating mild symptomatic Covid positive Patients. Dedicated doctors and paramedical staff from the district medical authorities along with personnel from the station community will be functioning 24x7 at the COVID Care Centre to provide adequate facilities and care to all its patients," the Navy had said. (ANI)