The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has renewed its association with VPS Healthcare for the second consecutive year by appointing the UAE-based group as its healthcare partner for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Experienced in offering 360-degree healthcare services for sporting events, the group will provide comprehensive solutions that include setting up, implementing, and monitoring Covid-19 RT-PCR testing for everyone associated with the event.
The rescheduled IPL tournament will take place over 31 matches across Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai between September 19 and October 15.
To ensure a safe IPL experience, VPS Healthcare has made elaborate arrangements in all its hospitals across the Emirates. As the official medical partner, the group will be responsible for providing a broad range of services including emergency medical services, sports medicine support, musculoskeletal imaging, specialist teleconsultation, doctor-on-call, and ambulance/air ambulance support.
To cater to the needs of the players and other participants of the IPL, it has set up a 100-member multidisciplinary team for sports medicine and Covid-19 management. Two medical teams comprising doctors, nurses, paramedics and lab technicians will be assigned to each stadium for every match.
As the official medical service provider for the IPL, VPS Healthcare plans to adhere to stringent measures. Despite having fewer matches in the UAE this year, the rescheduled IPL will see increased Covid-19 testing.
Ahead of the arrival of the players, VPS Healthcare completed testing for over 750 hotel staff across 14 hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. On August 13, it started testing the players of the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings teams. With the updated protocol requiring players and officials to get tested once every three days, the healthcare provider anticipates over 30,000 PCR tests this year.
It has the capacity to conduct 2,000 PCR tests for the IPL each day, with a turnaround time of 6-8 hours. Moreover, to ensure secure bio bubbles, nurses and other medical staff are accommodated in the same 14 hotels as the players till the end of the tournament.
Dr Shajir Gaffar, CEO of VPS Healthcare (Dubai and Northern Emirates), says: “Our team is completely equipped to take care of the medical needs of the IPL participants. As experienced healthcare providers, we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for the players and other BCCI stakeholders throughout the tournament.
“We are confident that we can provide a great sporting experience for this year’s IPL as well. The UAE has a good strike rate in seamlessly conducting high-profile sports events during the pandemic. Even in these challenging times, the country is setting new benchmarks in expertly managing international sporting tournaments through its state-of-the art stadiums, watertight measures, and well-trained personnel. With the second leg of the IPL and ICC T20 World Cup happening back-to-back, the UAE can solidify its pioneering position as a safe global sporting destination.”
With its unparalleled expertise in sporting events, VPS Healthcare seamlessly handled 80 hospital visits and facilitated the treatment of 156 injuries across its hospitals during the 2020 IPL season.
After providing comprehensive healthcare solutions for the IPL last year, the group offered Covid-related services for other international sporting events like the UAE Cycling Tour, AFC Champions League group stage matches, T10, UFK, and UAE Warriors.
The group endeavours to extend the best possible medical services to players this year. Response Plus Medical, the group’s on-site medical team, will provide ambulance/air ambulance support during the matches. Injured players will be provided care at VPS hospitals in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, while players requiring the air ambulance facility will be taken to Burjeel Medical City. -- TradeArabia News Service
