Wipro’s Pune campus to become COVID-19 hospital

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, May 5

Information Technology major Wipro has signed a memorandum of

understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra Government to turn one of its

campuses in Pune into a 450-bed COVID-19 hospital in four weeks’ time,

according to a statement released by the company.

According to the MoU, the campus located at Hinjewadi near Pune would

be converted into a hospital by May 30 and handed over to the state

government. After a year, the property will get back to Wipro which

will convert it back into an IT facility, the statement mentioned.

Though the 450-bed hospital will admit moderate cases, there would be

12 beds to stabilise critical patients before shifting them to a

tertiary care facility.

The hospital, an independent, isolated complex dedicated for the care of COVID-19 patients would include 24 well-appointed rooms to accommodate doctors and medical staff, according to the company.

The company would provide the infrastructure for the hospital besides appointing an administrator and medical staff so that operations can begin immediately.

“This humanitarian contribution by Wipro will further strengthen our medical infrastructure and benefit the medical fraternity who are at the forefront of our fight against the pandemic,” Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said in a statement.

The company in its statement added that the group along with the Azim Premji Foundation have contributed Rs 1,125 crore to tackle the outbreak, benefiting 24 lakh people across India.