The Defence Minister on March 20 granted financial powers to the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), the Director Generals Medical Services and the officials below them of the three defence services for procuring essential medical equipment, in light of the coronavirus outbreak in India. The defence ministry has also issued orders notifying 50 AFMS hospitals as dedicated COVID hospitals and mixed COVID hospitals

NEW DELHI: The procurement of essential medical equipment such as face masks and Personal Protective Equipment by the armed forces is being carried out at a “fast pace” due to the emergency financial powers granted to the Director Generals of Medical Services of the Army, Air Force and Navy by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the defence ministry said on Friday.

The Defence Minister on March 20 granted financial powers to the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), the Director Generals Medical Services and the officials below them of the three defence services for procuring essential medical equipment, in light of the coronavirus outbreak in India. The DGAFMS heads the Armed Forces Medical Services (of the army, air force and navy) and is responsible to the government for the overall medical policy relating to the forces.

The matter came to light during a review of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) and their assistance to civilian authorities to contain the spread of COVID-19 by Singh on Friday.

“Lieutenant General Anup Banerjee, the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, has briefed that following emergency financial powers granted by Defence Minister to DGs MS and further down the hierarchy, procurement of essential health equipment such as face masks, sanitisers, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and ventilators is going on smoothly and at a fast pace,” the defence ministry said.

The defence ministry has also issued orders notifying 50 AFMS hospitals as dedicated COVID hospitals and mixed COVID hospitals. This is to cater for isolation and treatment, including ICU based care, for COVID-19 cases. “These hospitals have a combined bed capacity of 9,038 patients. Civilian COVID-19 cases would also be admitted in these hospitals as a surge capacity to augment the state healthcare facilities,” the ministry said.

About 650 medical officers undergoing post graduate training at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) Pune will be reverted back to their units for provision of medical cover depending on the evolving situation. Training activities have been suspended at the AFMC and the AMC Centre & College, Lucknow. Hundred medical officers from recruiting organisations are being detailed to work in hospitals, where COVID wards are being established. Six viral testing labs have already been established with the help of the Indian Council of Medical Research and are functional at various AFMS hospitals.

So far, 43 officers and 990 paramedics have volunteered till date. A list of retired Army Medical Corps officers and paramedical staff has been readied, who may be requested to volunteer for working in AFMS hospitals at their current home stations in case the need arises.