Srinagar: A foundation run by former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh has set up 50 critical care unit (CCU) beds at the Government Medical College & Hospital here to tackle a possible third wave of the coronavirus.
In a press statement on Monday, a foundation spokesperson said the CCU beds have been set up under its ''Mission1000Beds initiative'', in collaboration with Accenture.
"Funds contributed by Accenture have also been used by YouWeCan Foundation to provide a range of medical equipment including ICU ventilators, BiPAP machines, patient monitors, ECG machines, defibrillators and oxygen cylinders to the hospital," the spokesperson said.
She said the facility was inaugurated virtually by Yuvraj Singh in the presence of Dr Yashpal Sharma, Director (Coordination), New Government Medical Colleges, Jammu and Kashmir, and representatives from Accenture.
"The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed the healthcare infrastructure of our country. We struggled to procure ICU beds, oxygen cylinders, and other critical care facilities to help our loved ones during that period," the former India cricketer said.
He said having witnessed not just the heart-rending suffering around but also having experienced a personal loss, he felt an acute need to step up to support the healthcare providers and frontline workers in their fight against this deadly virus.
"Through our #Mission1000Beds initiative, we are setting up COVID-19 critical care facilities at hospitals across the country to increase existing capacities,” he said.
In addition to Jammu and Kashmir, YouWeCan Foundation has partnered with Accenture to set up a total of 385 CCU beds at government hospitals across Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Assam.
