Leading UAE businessman Dr Shamsheer Vayalil has stepped forward to help the Indian coronavirus crisis by dedicating a 500-bed hospital to treat infected patients.
As founder of one of the region’s largest private providers, VPS Healthcare, Dr Vayalil has responded to increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in India by offering the Delhi-NCR Medeor speciality hospital to help health services cope with demand.
In a letter to the nation’s Ministry of Health, he commended health workers, officials and volunteers for their tireless efforts to stem the outbreak.
Life in New Delhi has almost ground to halt after a government notice by Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown until at least April 15.
A man with a protective mask rides a moped on a deserted road, amid a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus, in New Delhi, India. Getty Images
Millions of Indians reliant on daily earnings are now out of work.
Many have fled their homes due to fear of a rapid spread of the virus in cramped living conditions where there is a shortage of regular clean water.
According to Government of India figures, 867 cases of Covid-19 have been detected with 25 deaths.
More than 1.5 million people are said to have been screened at airports while a $22 billion ((Dh80bn) stimulus package has been enacted to help feed 800 million people with lentils and grains for the next three months.
The Medeor hospital in Manesar, Delhi has formed a dedicated task force of specialist doctors, nurses and other staff to deal with an anticipated surge in cases of Covid-19.
The VPS Healthcare group operates three hospitals in Delhi under the name of Medeor.
Earlier this month, a team of nurses from the VPS group were deployed to screen passengers arriving into Abu Dhabi International Airport for two weeks.
SOURCE : NATIONAL AE