New Delhi,  The Centre and the Delhi government are together re-operationalising a Covid hospital in the national capital with 500 oxygenated beds within three days to cater to the growing demand for beds amid thi he raging second wave of the pandemic.

The Delhi government had sought medical officers and paramedical staff from the Ministry of Home Affairs to man the Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre in Chhatarpur, which is being re-operationalised. The covid care centre and hospital was closed on February 23, 2021.

The ministry has designated the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) as the nodal force for operating the facility. A deliberation in this regard took place on Thursday involving ITBP officials and all the stakeholders.

A ministry order stated that in view of the recent surge in the number of Covid-19 cases across the national capital, the Delhi government has decided to revive the medical facilities at the Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre in Chhattarpur and has requested the ministry to provide medical officers and paramedical staff to operationalise 500 oxygenated beds.

Keeping in view the above request, it has been decided to provide adequate number of medical officers and paramedical staff to man 500 oxygenated beds at SPCCC with ITBP being designated as the nodal force for the operation, it said.

The ITBP may draw the required medical manpower, doctors and paramedical staff, if needed, from other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

The boarding and lodging arrangements for the doctors and the paramedical staff, including expenses, will be made by the Delhi government, the ministry said.

The ITBP stated that it will try to open the centre as soon as possible, probably within three days.

"There will be 500 beds which will be operationalised initially, and the numbers may go up in the future," the force said.

The SPCCC, which was closed in February, had treated 11,657 Covid patients in the 7.5 months prior to its closure.