Sayan Chatterjee,
New Delhi : In recent IAF tasked one of its C-17 ‘Globemaster’ aircraft to go airborne from the Hindan airbase for Tehran, to airlift Indian citizens, and, further facilitated the evacuation of the nationals in the light of the continued spread and threat of COVID-19 globally as a humanitarian assistance mission.
To facilitate the evacuation IAF’s medical team and support staff was on-board the aircraft as an integral part of the humanitarian assistance mission later, the aircraft returned safely with Indian citizens in the early hours of, 10th of March with 58 Indian citizens onboard, which, included 25 men, 31 women and 2 children. The aircraft also carried 529 samples for investigation.
On Friday, in full swing Indian Navy triggered its yet another move to combat COVID-19, sets up isolation facilities at one of its premier hospital – INHS Asvini in Mumbai to treat COVID-19 cases.
A Quarantine camp has also been set-up readily to receive evacuees in Ghatkopar area of Mumbai. It has been further reported that Indian Navy’s Command HQs at Kochi and Vizag have also been directed to setup similar facilities.
Separate “Fever Clinics” are functioning at all naval hospitals to prevent spread of the infection from undiagnosed cases. Health advisories have also been issued to naval ships moving in international waters.
In total 44 Indian citizens evacuated from Iran by Indian Navy and have been further shifted to Indian navy quarantine facility as functional at Ghatkopar, Mumbai, India. All required provisions were set up by the Western Naval Command (WNC), Indian Navy.
(The writer is a Delhi-based independent contributor to print and online publications )
