Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 20 (IANS): Anant National University of Design, Ahmedabad, in partnership with the Kerala government has opened a Covid-19 recovery facility here.

In a span of five months, Anant National University has set up a total of 1,620 beds across 10 sites catering to patients with mild to moderate symptoms, in Mumbai, Rajkot, Delhi, Bangalore and now in Thiruvananthapuram.

The new facility is located in a large conference hall at the Panchkarma Ayurveda Institute here.

The team has set up a 30-bed recovery facility (phase 1 of a 100-bed project) to treat patients with moderate symptoms of Covid.

Besides the medical equipment, the facility has laminated corrugated cardboard beds and tables that have been designed and manufactured by AnantU, which are highly affordable and durable.

The centre has been handed over to the District Medical Officer, Thiruvananthapuram for managing the operations.

Along with the partners, the project is executed by Miniya Chatterji, who is the Director of Anant Fellowship for Climate Action by Anant National University, the first of its kind fellowship in India

Shashi Tharoor, Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP, is one of the key members behind the project.

Chatterji said despite challenges they were able to overcome all due to the exemplary team effort and is grateful to Cisco for funding this facility.

Anunaya Chaubey, of Anant National University, said throughout this pandemic, they have responded swiftly with visors, recovery spaces, eco-friendly cardboard beds, oxygen ambulances and awareness posters for prevention and treatment.

With a capacity to produce over 500 beds a day, the university is supplying laminated corrugated cardboard beds, tables, and room separators to all its facilities that bring down the cost.