Indian Armed Forces Launched Operation “CO-JEET” for COVID-19
News Desk
India’s armed forces have launched Operation “CO-JEET” to aid anti-COVID-19 efforts. Under this, they will undertake efforts like strengthening medical infrastructure and oxygen supply chains, and take measures to ensure mental wellbeing of people. White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci also had advised India using its Army to fight the COVID-19 crisis.
Department of Defence has created a COVID-19 Crisis Management Committee. The Committee is working together with the armed forces on COVID-19 Crisis Management on a war footing. CO-JEET stands for co-workers of all the three services who will finally achieve ‘Jeet’ [victory] over COVID.
Lt. Gen. Madhuri Kanitkar, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Medical), is working round the clock to strategies and monitor steps to provide relief to COVID-19 patients. The post comes under the Chief of Defence Staff. She is the third woman to become a three-star general in the armed forces and recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and other awards.
The second COVID-19 wave has put huge pressure on the country’s health system. Several states are facing a shortage of oxygen, medicines and equipment needed to treat coronavirus patients and also beds. Personnel of the three wings of the armed forces the Army, the Indian Air Force and the Navy have been pressed into service:
- To help restore oxygen supply chains.
- Set up COVID beds.
- Provide help to the civilian administration in its fight to control the pandemic.
In addition to the ongoing COVID situation, most ex-servicemen are also coming to military hospitals. In cities like Delhi and Pune, the armed forces have made 400-500 bed hospitals purely for defence and ex-servicemen. Efforts are also underway to provide additional beds across the country for mixed COVID-19 management. Some of the military hospitals have their own oxygen generation plants. However, the present crises have shown that we need to further ramp up this facility. The armed forces are already installing around 46 oxygen generation plants at various places. They also have a capacity of holding jumbo cylinders and of oxygen concentration from fields. Indian Oil Corporation has extended support for transportation of oxygen. The IAF carried out a number of sorties to bring (oxygen cryogenic) containers from abroad besides putting on track the supply chain for oxygen. The Indian Navy transported liquid oxygen to places like Andaman and Nicobar Island, Lakshadweep. The Indian Army gave its military coaches for carrying oxygen supplies to various parts of the country. Around 200 Army drivers were pressed into service for ensuring smooth supply of the oxygen.
According to Lt. General Kanitkar:
“The whole team is working in a very energised way because a soldier is trained to fight under adverse situations and he doesn’t give up, we are not just doctors, we are soldiers.”