Mumbai, Aug 31 (IANS): The Tata Trusts has upgraded four government hospitals -- two each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh -- into Covid-19 Treatment Centres and handed them over to the local administration of the country's two biggest states, an official spokesperson said here on Monday.

The facilities, including in-and-out patient wings, are permanent and would supplement existing healthcare infrastructure in these locations.

In Maharashtra, the Tata Trusts developed the hospitals at Sangli (50-beds) and Buldhana (104-beds) and in UP -- in partnership with another organization -- the centres are at Gautam Buddha Nagar (168-beds) and Gonda (124-beds).

Constructed by Tata Projects Ltd. each centres has critical care capabilities, minor operation theatres, basic pathology and radiology, dialysis, blood banks and telemedicine units.

The decision to upgrade the existing infrastructure was to bring speed and wherever possible utilize existing capabilities and services following a call given by Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan N. Tata.

Last March, Tata, as part of the Tata Trusts' 'four-pronged approach' had urged the need for deploying urgent emergency resources to cope with the requirements of combating the Covid-19 crisis which he termed as "one of the toughest challenges the human race will face".

Besides, the Tata Trusts have been donating to various 32 states and UT governments and hospitals things like Personal Protection Equipment, coveralls, masks, surgical masks, gloves and goggles, besides other Covid-related initiatives covering around 21 million people.

The Tata Trusts and Tata Group have tied up with Christian Medical College, Vellore and Care Institute of Health Sciences, Hyderabad for free online training and augmenting skills of Covid-19 health care professionals, and staff from 356 hospitals in 26 states have benefitted by this.