Hyderabad: With the second wave of COVID-19 infections stressing the existing healthcare system, patients are finding it difficult to even get a bed in the hospitals.
In a bid to solve this, South Central Railway (SCR) initiated to convert at least 100 train coaches into COVID-19 care centers that will provide space for over 1,000 patients in the state.
All provisions for treatment, including refillable oxygen cylinders, are made available.
The SCR had already started its services at Secunderabad and Kazipet railway hospitals from February 1.
“Employees and retired employees are availing these facilities. Depending on the requirement, the number of beds are also being increased” one of the officials told The New Indian Express.
Telangana government is also utilising the provision by employing standard operating procedures and logistics for the smoother movement of patients to and from hospitals.
According to railway officials, 232 COVID care coaches, with nearly a 4,000 bed capacity are in use at 14 stations in different parts of the country, while 4,176 isolation coaches are still available for deployment.
India on Thursday reported 4,12,262 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
And Telangana alone has about 77,127 active COVID cases as on Wednesday.