New Delhi / Bhilai, 10th June, 2021: Hon’ble Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, inaugurated the 114-bedded COVID Care Unit at SAIL’s Bhilai Steel Plant today, 10th June 2021, through an online inauguration program. Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel, Shri T.S. Singh Deo, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Panchayat and Rural Development, Government of Chhattisgarh, Shri Mohammad Akbar, Minister of Transport, Housing, Environment, Forest, and Law, Government of Chhattisgarh, Ms. Saroj Pandey, MP, Rajya Sabha, Shri Vijay Baghel, MP, Lok Sabha, Durg, and Shri Devendra Yadav, MLA, Bhilai, along with Shri PK Tripathi, Secretary, Steel, and Smt. Soma Mondal, Chairman, SAIL, joined the virtual program along with senior officers from the Ministry of Steel and SAIL.
This 114-bedded COVID Care Unit, which has been set up close to the steel plant, has the facility of direct gaseous oxygen supply from the plant through a dedicated gas pipeline. The beds will soon be scaled up to 500 in the facility. This unit has a double oxygen backup supply. Apart from gaseous oxygen as the main source, there is also a provision for a backup of stored Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) with a vaporizer and an oxygen cylinder manifold. This unit is equipped to take care of mild to moderate COVID infection cases. Bhilai’s facility is the fourth COVID Care Unit set up by SAIL under the company’s plan to establish jumbo COVID care units with 2,500 additional beds having direct gaseous oxygen facilities at five plant locations for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, during the program, said that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the mantra of "Jahan Bimaar, Wahi Upchaar" (Treatment at the site of illness), and setting up hospitals near the source of gaseous oxygen is a step towards that vision. He lauded the role of Bhilai Steel Plant during COVID times, stating that its hospital played a crucial role in treating patients during the second wave of COVID-19. The plant also played a significant role in supplying liquid medical oxygen (LMO) across the country to meet the surge in demand. The second wave of COVID-19 led to a sudden and sharp increase in oxygen demand, which was managed through several measures, with the steel sector playing a prime role. The steel plants rose to the occasion and met the nation’s requirement, with SAIL being a major contributor to the overall efforts to combat the pandemic.
Regarding vaccination, Shri Pradhan mentioned that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has laid down a roadmap for vaccination. He assured that the Government of India and SAIL stand by Chhattisgarh and will make every effort to maximize vaccination for the people of the state. He also assured that, based on recent experiences, the COVID Care Facility at BSP will be prepared for any future surge and will continue to function as long as necessary.
Date: 10.06.2021