What is the scope of India's oxygen issue, and what are the possible solutions?

07

Oct

What is the scope of India's oxygen issue, and what are the possible solutions?

Prakshi Rawat

The Centre has initiated preparations to purchase 50,000 tonnes of medical oxygen to address shortages in a handful of states. Which states have already been struck the most, why is transportation so difficult, what is the best option?

As India approaches 16 lakh active Covid-19 infections, a lot of states have reported medical oxygen shortages to meet the needs of the growing number of patients. To meet growing demands, India aims to import 50,000 MT of medicinal oxygen. A tender for the purchase has been issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Which states have been struck the hardest?

Maharashtra's cost of medical oxygen has exceeded the state's maximum production capacity of 1,250 tonne. The state has 6.38 lakh active Covid-19 cases, with approximately 10% of them 60,000-65,000 requiring oxygen assistance, the largest percentage of any state.

Maharashtra also receives 50 tons per day from Chhattisgarh and another 50 MT from Gujarat. It'll get 100 tons from Reliance Industries plant in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

With 59,193 active patients, Madhya Pradesh needed 250 MT per day. Because the state lacks its own manufacturing plant, it must count on Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh for oxygen. As the majority of instances in nearby states rises, MP is concerned that supply from those states could run short. Gujarat's demand has reached 500 MT per day for a total of 49,737 active workers.

The Centre-appointed Empowered Group-2 has been focused on 12 high-burden states — Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat, and Rajasthan to monitor the availability of necessary medical devices during the outbreak. Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Haryana are among the states where oxygen demand is likely to rise over the coming days. To meet their future demands, about 17,000 tons of oxygen are sent in batches from states with atmospheric oxygen to these 12 states.

The situation is particularly severe in rural areas, which would see an increase in Covid-19 cases but lack massive storage tankers, including in smaller care facilities that rely on daily oxygen cylinder shipments.

What is the amount of dissolved oxygen produced, where it is produced and what are the supply shortages?

The iron and steel sector, hospitals, pharmaceutical units that create vials and the plastics industry always need oxygen. Most nations have redirected all of their oxygen production for medical uses.

India has the capability to make or more 7,000 MT of medical oxygen, according to industry experts. Inox Air Products, Linde India, Goyal MG Gases Pvt Ltd, and National Oxygen Limited are the major suppliers. Inox, the oldest of these, produces 2000 tons of raw materials every day. “Right now, we're delivering the country's total medical oxygen demand. “All nitrogen and gas mixture production has already been suspended and all resources have already been redirected to oxygen production,”

Small companies that produced corporate oxygen were permitted to create medical oxygen during the initial wave of the outbreak last year by altering some requirements. This has aided in building the utilization of medicinal oxygen production.

Liquid oxygen plant with a purity of 99.5 percent is manufactured by producers and kept in jumbo tankers before ever being delivered to wholesalers in cryogenic tankers at a constant temperature. A gas processing technique is used at the distributor's level to transform oxygen into gaseous form and fill it into jumbo and dura cylinders. These cylinders are then sold to smaller providers or to clinics directly. The issue is also that demand is strong, yet there just aren't enough cylinders or tankers to store and carry oxygen, according to an industry expert.

It is not viable to build new oxygen production plants or expand existing ones right away. Authors further state opened two plants in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh since last year, producing 200 and 150 tons of oxygen per day, respectively. It required 24 months to install a single plant. More reactors are scheduled in MP, UP, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, according to a Inox executive, but it will not ease the situation immediately.

What are the transportation obstacles?

India just doesn't have enough cryogenic tankers to assure that medical oxygen is supplied by road 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The time it would take to move oxygen from one state to another has grown from 3-5 days to 6-8 days. The longer it takes for oxygen to reach a smaller hospital or a remote location, the time it lasts for it to arrive.

Smaller suppliers too have expressed concerns about such a lack of giant and robust cylinders to create a constant supply.

The cost of refilling cylinders has grown as transportation and logistical costs have risen. Previously, refilling a cylinder would cost Rs 100-150, but now it costs Rs 500-2000.

What is the best course of action?

Approximately 20 out of every 100 patients become symptoms, with three becoming critical. The amount of patients who might just require gas varies between 10-15 per 100. Among the options being investigated or offered are:

The Empowered Group intends to select 100 hospitals in remote places for the installation of pressure swing absorption (PSA) oxygen plants that can produce their own oxygen and enable the hospitals to be self-sufficient. This one will reduce transport costs and delivery delays of oxygen to remote places. Another 162 PSA oxygen plants are currently being built.

Hospitals are developing massive storage tanks to house supplies that last at least ten days. Several municipal hospitals have established such big tankers in the last year to avoid the daily wait for cylinders. Instead of depending solely on traditional road transport, industry experts in MP said they plan to utilize trains to move oxygen more swiftly. Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has recommended that gas be transported by air from one state to another.

Iron and steel mills' excess oxygen supplies have been transferred for medical purposes. The Empowered Group-2 has also decided to redirect gas and nitrogen tankers to pick up more oxygen. The Petroleum and Safety Organization has issued a directive in this connection. The use of professional cylinders for refilling also has been advocated by the Group.

Iron and steel mills' high oxygen stocks have been transferred for medical purposes. The Empowered Group-2 has also decided to redirect Iron and nitrogen tankers to transport oxygen. The Petroleum and Safety Organization has issued a directive in this regard. The use of professional oxygen cylinder filling plants have also been advocated by the Group.

The Ministry of Health has often advised avoiding spewing garbage and using it in inappropriate ways. Experts in the field have expressed alarm about potential leaks in hospital oxygen pipelines. Last year, an expert panel appointed by the Ministry of Health set the oxygen supply in hospitalized patients at 40 l / min and in standard wards at 15 l / min. It has recommended that patients on oxygen assistance be checked on a frequent basis and that anybody with oxygen level levels below 94 % be put on it.