State mulls to set up O2 plants in at least one hosp in all dists

Kolkata: Amid the surge in Covid cases, the state government is planning to set up Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation plants at least in one state-run hospital in every district to ensure sufficient supply of oxygen. Each plant would be set up at a cost of around Rs 1.25 crore.

The work to set up the same is going on in full swing at Diamond Harbour and Alipurduar. One plant in Cooch Behar MJN Hospital with a capacity of generating 2000 litre oxygen has already come up to provide oxygen support to 300 patients.

The work of setting up the same at Diamond Harbour Medical College and Hospital is nearing completion. The plant is expected to initiate functioning from Tuesday, if everything goes as planned, said MSVP of Dr Ramaprasad Roy hospital.

The plant has been set up on an area measuring 10x7 metres on the hospital premises. It has the capacity of providing 500 litres of oxygen per minute. "At least 125 cylinders of oxygen will be produced every 24 hours," said another official, who is supervising the project.

He added that the work to install the copper pipe lining, through which the direct transmission of oxygen for patients will take place, is going on. "The plant is expected to start functioning from Tuesday," he said. The plant separates oxygen from compressed air from the atmosphere containing 21 per cent oxygen through the unique process of pressure swing adsorption. The separated oxygen is used as medical oxygen following certain processes, he explained.

The PSA Medical Oxygen Generation plants will help in "meeting the challenge" at the time of Covid surge and also in providing treatment to patients in future. A senior state government official said the initiative has been taken to build such plants in at least one hospital in every district.

"However, there are no restrictions in setting up the same in more than one hospital in a district. The state Health department is the nodal authority to identify the hospitals based on the need and infrastructure. But, the plan has been mooted to set up the same in district hospitals, super-speciality hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, etc," the official said.

Sources said around 223 MT oxygen is required in state per day when "all combined" production of medical oxygen is of around 500 MT.

Though there is no dearth in oxygen supply in the state at present, PSA Medical Oxygen Generation plants would be set up as a proactive step to ensure continuous supply of oxygen.