Coronavirus: PM CARES Fund to finance two 500-bed COVID-19 hospitals in Bihar

Announcing the decision, the PMO tweeted "PM-CARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate funds for fight against COVID-19 by way of establishment of 500-bed COVID-19 Makeshift Hospitals at Patna and Muzaffarpur, Bihar by DRDO."

New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday said the PM CARES Fund will finance two 500-bed COVID-19 makeshift hospitals in Bihar, asserting that this will go a long way in improving COVID care in the state.

Announcing the decision, the PMO tweeted: "PM-CARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate funds for fight against Covid-19 by way of establishment of 500-bed Covid-19 makeshift hospitals at Patna and Muzaffarpur, Bihar by DRDO. This will go a long way in improving COVID care in Bihar. The 500-bed hospital at Bihta, Patna will be inaugurated today and the 500 bed hospital at Muzaffarpur will be inaugurated very soon. These hospitals have 125 ICU beds with ventilators and 375 normal beds each. Each bed also has oxygen supply. The doctors and paramedical staff will be provided by the Armed Forces Medical Services."

These hospitals have 125 ICU beds with ventilators and 375 normal beds each, it said, adding that each bed also has oxygen supply. Doctors and paramedical staff for the hospitals will be provided by the Armed Forces Medical Services, it added.

The Bihar government will provide 2 lakh litres of water per day, 6 MVA electric supply and security arrangements for the hospital free of cost, a senior Bihar government official said.

Bihar, which is headed for assembly polls in a few months, is among the states with large numbers of COVID cases. In a review meeting on August 11, PM Modi had noted that 10 states, including Bihar, account for over 80% of the country's active COVID-19 cases, and asserted if the virus is defeated in these states, the country will emerge victorious in its fight against the pandemic.