Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said all health facilities of defence public sector undertakings and the Ordnance Factory Board have been allowed to provide health services to civilians infected with the coronavirus.

Singh held a review meeting with the three services chiefs and took stock of the efforts of the defence ministry in contributing to the country’s fight against the second wave of Covid-19.

“All health facilities of Defence PSUs & Ordnance Factory Board have been allowed to provide health services to local COVID-19 affected civilian population. The MoD officials and the three Services are closely monitoring the progress of various initiatives taken by the Ministry,” Singh said in a tweet after the meeting.

India has recorded the highest one-day tally of new Covid-19 cases anywhere in the world. At least 45 Covid patients have died in New Delhi over the past two days after their hospitals fell short of medical oxygen.

Singh said the Defence Research and Development Organisation was adding 250 beds by Saturday evening at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Covid hospital near Delhi airport, taking the total number of beds to 500. He said work was in full swing to establish a Covid facility in Lucknow that would become operational in the next 5-6 days.

The defence minister said work was in full swing to establish a Covid facility in Lucknow that would become operational in the next 5-6 days. This hospital would be run by Armed Forces Medical Services in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh government.

Since Friday, the Indian Air Force airlifted empty oxygen tankers and containers to various filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of the much-needed medical oxygen in treating Covid-19 patients.

On Saturday, one C-17 transport aircraft of the IAF reached Changi airport in Singapore to bring high-capacity oxygen containers to boost the oxygen supply in the country.