A 32-bed Covid care centre will be set up on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, according to a circular issued by the varsity on Saturday. The JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) had been demanding for setting up the centre and had even written to the varsity's vice-chancellor over the issue earlier this month.

Officials from the university had said they were awaiting a response from the Delhi government. Last week, the Delhi High Court had pulled up the city government for "inaction and lethargy" in making operational a COVID-19 care centre on the JNU campus even though space has been earmarked for it.

"All stakeholders of the university are hereby informed that in view of the third wave of Covid cases including Omicron variant, and as a result of the efforts made by the JNU administration, New Delhi district administration, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, Health & Family Welfare Department... has issued an order to set up a 32 beds Covid Isolation Centre / step-down isolation facility / quarantine facility for JNU students /campus residents, at the Sabarmati Hostel-Dormitory, of the University," read the circular.

The centre is linked to the Delhi government-run Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital to provide adequate medical support in form of manpower/logistics/consumables/medicines etc, it said. "The District Magistrate (New Delhi) will ensure proper monitoring of the aforesaid Covid Isolation Centre and will ensure proper, timely and adequate supply of logistics as mandated by the orders passed by the department," it said.

The hostel currently does not have residents, according to university officials. In a related development, the university will be organising a vaccination camp on January 24, 25 and 26 at the Convention Centre for all students and serving employees and their dependents and all staff working under essential services of the university.

"In the vaccination camp, first and second doses of Covaxin / Covishied will be given to the persons of the age group of 18 years and above and first dose of Covaxin will be given to those in the 15-18 age group. The camp will be organized by the New Delhi district administration," the varsity said.

With PTI Inputs