100 hospitals will have their own oxygen plants

30

Oct

PRAKSHI RAWAT

In view of the country's pandemic crisis, the government has stated that under the PM-CARES Fund, 100 new hospitals will be equipped according to their own oxygen plants.

Medical oxygen is an essential component of treatment for COVID patients. The cost of medical oxygen has increased, notably in the 12 states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, which provide a heavy burden of active COVID patients.

While demand in Maharashtra is expected to increase the state's manufacturing capabilities, states like Madhya Pradesh lack sufficient production capability to meet medical oxygen demand. In addition, additional oxygen-producing states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan and others have seen an increase in prices.

According the directions of Courageous Group -2, a map - based exercise was strengthening ties by DPIIT, MOHFW, Minister of Steel, various skeptical affected states, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), and key stakeholders including representatives from oxygen plant manufacturers, All India Industrial Gas Manufacturers Association (AIIGMA) to just provide clarity and confirmation to the states on oxygen supply over the next several weeks of surge in situations (EG2).

Sources of medical oxygen and their manufacturing capacity was plotted to meet the requirement of states and also an indicative framework has indeed been built to advise the states on the resources of medical oxygen plants.

Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants and assist hospitals remain self-sufficient in their medical oxygen needs while also reducing the consumption for medical oxygen on the power network.

The 162 PSA oxygen plants sanctioned under PM-Cares are indeed being closely investigated to ensure that 100% of the plants are completed in a timely manner to improve self-generation of oxygen in hospitals, especially in rural places. MOHFW was asked by EG2 to find another 100 hospitals in some far places that may be sanctioned for the building of PSA plants.