OFB Medak turns hospital for COVID-19 patients

Hyderabad: Ordnance Factory in Medak is to be converted into a 280-bed isolation facility for novel coronavirus cases, the Defence Ministry said in a statement. The Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) released this statement in order to support the national fight against coronavirus.

The Ordnance factory in Medak has also undertaken repair works of Ventilators in various Hospitals in Hyderabad.

Apart from OFB Medak, five hospitals located at Vehicle Factory Jabalpur, Metal and Steel Factory Ishapore and Gun and Shell Factory, Cossipore in West Bangal, Ammunition Factory in Khadki , Maharashtra, Ordnance Factory Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Ordnance Factory Khamaria, Heavy Vehicle Factory in Avadi, Tamil Nadu has will be also converted into a 280-bed isolation centers.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru has also set up a three-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 30 bed wards. In addition to this, it has also built 30 rooms for isolation. OFB in Arunachal Pradesh has also set-up 50 specialised tents for COVID-19 patients.

Apart from this, the Defence Ministry stated that it is also using ordnance factories for production of Sanitizers, masks, Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) and ventilators.

OFB factories in Aruvankadu in Tamilnadu, Itarsi in Madhya Pradesh and Bhandara in Maharashtra have started production of sanitizers. The factories together can produce around 300 litres of sanitisers per day as per the WHO standards. Aruvankadu OFB has already produced 1,500 litres and sent it to HLL which has stated a requirement of 13,000 litres.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is being produced by Ordnance Factories at Kanpur, Shahjahanpur, Hazratpur (Firozabad) and Chennai. A special heat sealing machine was arranged by all these factories to manufacture garments. The OFB’s are producing 5,000 to 6,000 marks per week using machines approved by South India Textile Research Association (SITRA). SITRA Defence Research & Development Establishment in Gwalior will also test the masks and coveralls.

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has taken up the task of manufacturing 30,000 ventilators as asked by Ministry Health and Family Welfare. The ventilators will be ready by the next two months for ICU’s. The design of the ventilators was developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and improvised by Mr. Skanray with whom BEL Mysore has collaborated.