The second wave of coronavirus has done significant damage around the world. India has also been hit by the second wave, but to combat COVID-19, different organizations have responded quickly to help the nation. Organizations like Indian Railways, Indian Armed Forces, steel industries, IITs, DRDO, and many others are collaborating to fight against the deadly virus. 

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been playing a pivotal role in bringing innovative and robust solutions to fight the Covid pandemic. DRDO chairman, Dr. G Satheesh Reddy in an exclusive interview with All India Radio talked about DRDO’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19.

DRDO’s initiatives to fight coronavirus

DRDO has established Covid specific hospitals in various parts of the country. In Delhi, DRDO has set up a 500-bedded hospital with ICU facilities which is operational currently. A facility in Ahmedabad was also set up by DRDO with normal beds and ICU beds. On 5 May 2021, a facility in Lucknow was made operational with 500 beds, which also included 1,500 ICU beds for critical patients. 

Regarding the initiatives, Dr. G Satheesh Reddy said, “We are making a hospital in Varanasi, a 750 bedded hospital with 500 beds and 250 ICU beds. We are also establishing hospitals at Rishikesh, Haldwani, and Jammu & Srinagar. So these are all the places where the hospital infrastructure is being brought in with oxygen facility and all other types of equipment required in this pandemic.”
 
He also elaborated that Armed Forces medical services are providing the construction of the majority of hospitals. DRDO is taking the complete responsibility of running the hospital, providing all the support to the armed forces, and are ensuring that the hospital is running properly.
 
DRDO enhancing oxygen plants

DRDO has enhanced their oxygen plants which they have developed for providing oxygen to their pilots inside fighter aircraft in very high altitudes. 
 
 Dr. G Satheesh Reddy explained that “We have developed oxygen plants which the government has asked us to enhance. We have developed the technology for fighter aircraft. When they go to very high altitudes, the pilot needs oxygen. So a system called onboard oxygen generation (OBOX) is developed which has been expanded to provide oxygen at 1000 liters/minute. So honorable Prime Minister has taken a review and said immediately work on this, bring in more Industries. 500 such plants are required across the country in every district and he has given the funding from PM Cares.”
 
DRDO has also provided mini oxygen cylinders to the healthcare sector, which are portable cylinders with automatic regulators and manual regulators. DRDO will produce about 1.5 lakh mini oxygen cylinders.
 
DRDO maximizing on technological knowledge
 
To deliver things in quick time, DRDO has made chances in thier current laboratories, in a way that they can deliver life-saving medical supplies to the country in very little time. 
 
DRDO Chairman said that “We have used our laboratories which are working on biological warfare to develop the sanitizers. We used our engineering knowledge to make automatic sanitization things. Laboratory working on lasers has developed UV sanitization equipment. So it's all engineering knowledge that has been our construction wing. It has come out with saying that we will be able to deliver hospitals in 10 to 12 days. So that is how we have used our technological knowledge.”
 
DRDO to provide oxygen supply to far-flung areas
 
DRDO is also aiming to provide oxygen plants in high altitude areas like Tawang and Leh. It will provide oxygen plants in the far-flung areas, which will help covid patients to get treatment in time.

Dr. G Satheesh Reddy elaborated, “We have developed a technology for generating oxygen from the atmosphere. That technology, we developed for fighter aircraft. We used the technology to have oxygen plants, that can also generate oxygen in high altitude places, where oxygen content is less like Tawang, Leh, and other places. We are trying to build these facilities across the country in large numbers.”
 
The capabilities of DRDO have shown that India is capable of handling critical situations in very little time. The togetherness of several organizations has outlined the power of working together during a crisis.