Coronavirus: Northeast Frontier Railway to Convert 315 Coaches into Isolation Wards

Guwahati, March 28, 2020:

The Indian Railways is preparing to convert train coaches into isolation wards to prepare for a fight against coronavirus pandemic to meet the increasing demand for beds in the isolation wards. This has been put into motion as a plan like that can help us be well-prepared to meet any emergency. The Northeast Frontier Railway has converted at least 315 coaches are being converted to meet the requirements; nationally, at least 5,000 coaches will be allocated for the same.

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To start with, the NF Railway is converting coaches at the Coach Maintenance Depot in Kamakhya and Guwahati into isolation wards to tackle the coronavirus after consulting medical professionals at NF Railway Central Hospital, Maligaon.

A non-AC sleeper coach is converted into isolation wards for patients suffering from Covid-19. Each cabin of the coach has been converted into an independent isolation ward which shall accommodate one patient. There are nine such cabins in one coach.

The following modifications have been done in each coach:

Middle berths have been removed from these cabins for keeping two feet bed space on the berths. Extra bottle holders and electric points are provided for medicines, IV Fluids and medical equipment like oscilloscope monitor, suction apparatus, etc. A foldable stool is available under the berth for keeping the medical equipment as and when required. Air Plastic curtains have been provided between two cabins for privacy and isolation.

The side berth end panel walls of the coach near the entry/exit doors have been removed for easy access of stretcher. One of the four toilets of the coach has been converted to a bathroom with a facility for shower, bucket, and mug. Insulated bamboo sheets put up on the roof and the sidewalls of the coach for reducing the heat transfer and temperature inside the isolation ward.

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It is pertinent to mention here that 5000 sleeper coaches will be converted to Isolation Wards in Indian Railways to tackle coronavirus through out the country where NF Railway is converting 315 coaches to Isolation wards as advised by Railway Board.

One Isolation coach will have 9 beds, 1 bathroom, 3 toilets for the use of patients. Indian Railways have 125 hospitals throughout India and of that more than 70 are being planned to be kept ready to be for any COVID related contingency as and when required. Efforts are being made to designate dedicated COVID wards or floors in these hospitals. Approximately 6500 hospital beds are being made ready to meet the possible needs of patients.

Indian Railways has already given permission to all Zones to explore the possibility of hiring doctors and paramedics from the market and also to re-employ retired railway doctors as a temporary measure to meet the increased requirement of medical supervision and assist the authorities in charge of COVID-19 control management in the region.

Coronavirus Update:

In India, 1,590 people have been infected with the virus. As many as 45 people have died from complications from the coronavirus.

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