Page 25 - January 2022 Issue

Public Sector has This was besides extending own hospitals for effected patients. PSes
set examples for
many to follow by
using research and
development to
make the country
self-sufficient in key
medical aspects.
PSEs have come
forward to assist the
local administration
and hospitals by
providing necessary
equipments,
manufacturing PPE
kits, manufacturing
surgical masks and
gowns, organising
medical and blood
donation camps, etc.
(iv)
like IocL played an important role by distributing nearly 1.5 lakhs
bottles of sanitizers with around 18 Lakhs masks. They also spent
nearly Rs. 310 Lakhs for coVID-19 related Hospital work-testing
equipments, PPe Kits, Ventilators, IcU beds, etc. Further, PSes like
Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. funded a state of art 500 bedded SUM-
coVID Hospital in Bhubaneshwar and NALco funded an exclusive
200 bedded coVID-19 Hospital at Nabarangpur in odisha. Medical
facilities have also been strengthened by FAcT which converted their
auditorium to a 100-bed hospital for use by the Government of Kerala
for coVID patients. GAIL provided quarantine facilities at its facilities
in Noida, Pata and Vijaypur. oNGc distributed more than 9 lakh
masks and 10 lakhs sanitizers. RITeS provided N95 masks worth Rs.10
lakhs to the Gurugram District Administration for medical teams and
frontline workers. IcU units’equipments and biomedical equipments
were provided to some hospitals by BPcL. Special medical camps were
conducted by NLcIL and around 1700 inter-state migrant workers were
provided with medical services and counseling at Neyveli, Ghatampur,
Talabira and Barsingsar.
Large scale sanitisation drives were also organised on a regular basis by
many PSes in their townships and outside to ensure safety of all.
Creating Awareness
The novelty and lack of information about the virus made it necessary
for widescale awareness campaigns at all levels and in all possible
geographical areas. Awareness campaigns to sensitize employees,
stakeholders and community at large on the risks and preventive steps
to minimise infection in alignment with the communication strategy
of Ministry of Health have been regularly organized by PSes since
outbreak of the epidemic through inhouse notices, company magazines,
brochures, posters, hoardings and banners within the plant, project
sites, offices and residential areas. Social media platforms like Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, Linked In, Instagram etc. were used intelligently for
widespread and quick dissemination of information.
NLcIL used technology of WhatsApp groups with two layer mechanism
connecting all residents of Neyveli Township for dissemination of
information and control of the epidemic. Meetings through Video
conferencing and expert talks through Webinars were also organized
by most enterprises to segregate correct information from myths. Bhilai
Steel Plant management organized a coVID-19 awareness training
program for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. extensive spread
of information played an essential role in maintaining calm during the
pandemic and taking right steps to curtail the spread.