In May, DRDO had set up oxygen plants in several hospitals across the country

As many as 850 oxygen plants are being set up in various districts of the country from the PM Cares Fund for catering to the needs of the country to fight the pandemic COVID-19, announced Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Secretary Dr C Satish Reddy on Monday.

Speaking at the online discourse series New India @ 75, organised by National Council for Science and Technology Communication and Vigyan Prasar, Reddy added that DRDO was prepared to provide all kinds of support when the need arises.
More flying hospitals would be ready, as was provided by DRDO in the second wave of COVID-19, to help the people, he added.

“We established temporary hospitals specific to COVID 19 in many cities. These are modular hospitals, we call them flying hospitals, and these have been made in a way that the virus does not go out of hospitals. If there is any third wave, all the hospitals will be taking the load, and the government is discussing these aspects with various stakeholders,” said Reddy.

He also underlined how DRDO is primarily carrying out research in advanced technology in defence and also concentrating on developing high-quality technology that will be beneficial for the people, at lower cost to match international level.

During the second wave, the country faced an acute shortage of oxygen supply and hospital beds. To prepare well for the third wave if it ever strikes, the country has started planting oxygen manufacturing units in time.

It may be recalled that in May, DRDO had set up oxygen plants in several hospitals across the country, including the All India Institute of Medical Science Trauma Centre and Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in Delhi.

Meanwhile, during the event, Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology talked about various steps taken by the Central Government and DST to fight the pandemic and how to keep vaccines safe and to ensure it reaches every nook and corner of the country. He also spoke about ways in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) could play a greater role in fighting the pandemic.

“Technologies have been developed for storing and transporting vaccines to every nook and corner of the country. New ways of storing vaccines have been developed as per the Indian conditions. Convergence of technologies is the future, and AI can play a great role in diagnostics, telemedicine and will have tremendous importance in remote monitoring, diagnostics and decision-making in fighting pandemic,” Prof Sharma said.

Speaking about the 50 years of DST, he pointed out that it has been a long journey, and foundational technology has been seeded, establishing DST as a nursery to help, nurture and grow young talents for the progress and development of the country.