IT major Wipro Ltd on Thursday opened the country’s first hospital dedicated for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The hospital has come up in Pune’s Hinjewadi area in Maharashtra.
The COVID care hospital has been set up on a public private partnership. The 504-bed hospital is equipped with 18 ventilators, intensive care units and other medical facilities, said Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Wipro is also providing two well-equipped ambulances and it will now be called the Dedicated COVID Health Centre, the CM added.
“They (Wipro) have given it (the hospital) to us in just one and a half months by signing a reconciliation agreement on 5 May. The hospital building is a symbol of the quality and pace at which Wipro works for the society as well. I sincerely thank Rishad Premji (Azim Premji’s son) for this," the CM said.
Rishad Premji in turn thanked the Government of Maharashtra for their support in enabling a one-month turnaround.
Thank you to the Hon’ble CM of Maharashtra, Shri Uddhav ji for inaugurating Wipro’s repurposed campus into a 450 bed Covid 19 hospital in Pune. Thanks to the Govt of Maharashtra for their deep support in enabling a one month turnaround.@Wipro @uddhavthackeray @CMOMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/PI8eORIYBz
— Rishad Premji (@RishadPremji) June 11, 2020
The Bengaluru-based tech services company had signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government in May to convert one of its Information Technology (IT) campuses in Pune into a COVID-19 care hospital and hand it over to the state government. The company has given 180,000 sq. ft. of its IT building for constructing the hospital.
It was announced earlier that the transformation of the Hinjewadi IT Campus is expected to be completed by May 30 and the hospital will revert to its original status as an IT facility after one year.
A memorandum to the effect was signed between the state government and Wipro Ltd, whereby the company will provide the physical infrastructure, medical furniture and equipment besides an administrator and skeletal support staff to help operationalise the hospital on priority with the requisite medical professionals.
In April, Wipro Ltd, Wipro Enterprises Ltd and Azim Premji Foundation committed Rs 1,125 crore towards tackling the unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wipro Ltd and Azim Premji Foundation are engaged in COVID-19 related relief works benefitting 34 lakh people, including in different parts of Maharashtra in Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Waluj, Amalner, Ahmednagar, Akola, Beed, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli.
With IANS inputs