Arjas Steel, Anantapur administration set up 500-bed Covid hospital.

Specialty steel manufacturer Arjas Steel recently said it has set up a 500-bed Covid care hospital at Tadipatri in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh in partnership with the district administration.

The hospital will provide care for Covid-19 patients from the three districts of Rayalaseema region -- Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool, the company said.

Arjas Steel said it has also laid an oxygen pipeline directly from the steel plant to the hospital to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply. The company said that as part of its production process, it had an oxygen plant but the oxygen produced was of industrial grade.

Arjas Steel transformed the industrial grade oxygen supply into medical grade oxygen under the supervision of Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APMSIDC), it said.

Commenting on the initiative, Arjas Steel managing director Sridhar Krishnamoorthy said, “Continuous oxygen supply was a major concern. By directly piping oxygen from our captive plant to the hospital, we have removed many of the logistics issues concerning transport. Our team has worked night and day to make this happen.”

Anantapur collector and district magistrate Gandham Chandrudu pointed out that China holds the world record for the fastest construction of a 500-bed Covid hospital in 10 days while the hospital at Anantapur has been constructed in just two weeks which is on par with global standards.

TOI