Railways to produce hospital beds, stretchers:

To cater the growing need of essential medical item in the wake of coronavirus epidemic, the Indian Railways has decided to manufacture hospital beds, stretchers, IV stands and ventilators. 

"In the wake of pandemic Covid-19, the railroad, in conference with production units and zonal rail line workshops, has decided to use its facilities, as Chittaranjan Loco Works, Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, Diesel Loco Works, Varanasi, and Rail Wheel Factory, Yelehanka, to make these essential items" to help battle the pandemic, the Indian Railways said in a statement, on Tuesday. 

The Railway Board has given important directions to the General Managers of these production units to explore the feasibility to manufacture items, similar to basic emergency hospital beds (without bedding), clinical trolleys for hospitals and quarantine facilities, IV stands, stretchers, hospital footsteps, hospital bedside lockers, washbasins with stands, ventilators, PPEs like masks, sanitizers and water tanks. 

The service said the Railway Board had requested that the General Managers investigate the plausibility in discussion with the chief medical officers (CMO) and manufacture these items in large quantities. 

The coronavirus loss of life in India rose to 10 on Tuesday and the total number of affected people was 500.