The Southern Naval Command on Thursday undertook medical evacuation trials to prepare for contingency requiring transfer of personnel from the Lakshadweep islands and for ships at sea in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Trials for evacuation of patients were undertaken on board an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and inside isolation capsule on Dornier aircraft. Feasibility study was undertaken for in-house modification to isolate the cockpit and cabin area by installing polythene film screen to prevent any kind of contact with the patient. The aircrew in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gear undertook the sortie to understand the nuances of flying with additional gears. The aircraft was flown at different heights to understand efficacy of aircraft modification and effect of PPE on aircrew. An exercise of air lifting the patient was also simulated, a defence spokesperson said.
After the transfer of patients to medical authorities, the aircraft and aircrew were sanitised to mitigate risk of infection.
Sanitiser given
Meanwhile, the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, handed over to the Southern Naval Command a batch of 2,000 bottles of alcohol-based hand sanitisers prepared by it. The lab is also developing infrared scanners and ultraviolet light-based kiosk for sample collection, director S. Vijayan Pillai said.
