Seeking to address the shortage of medical oxygen as active COVID-19 patients surpassed the 18-lakh mark, the Centre on Sunday said it has expedited installation of 162 PSA oxygen generation plants in health facilities across the country, while the Railways announced special trains to transport the life-saver and several industry majors pitched in by diverting supply to hospitals.
As a record single-day rise of 2,61,500 coronavirus infections took India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,47,88,109, authorities in the worst-hit states admitted they were running short of beds, ventilators and medicines.
Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said all possible support is being extended to states to double production of Remdesivir drug, ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen and COVID-19 vaccines, besides enhancing healthcare infrastructure.
The setting up of 162 PSA oxygen plants in public health facilities is being expedited and a 24X7 cell is coordinating with the states, he said.
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“These will augment medical oxygen capacity by 154.19 MT,” the health ministry tweeted.
The PSA plants manufacture oxygen and help hospitals become self-sufficient in their requirement for medical oxygen, while also reducing the burden on the national grid for its supply of medical oxygen.
Earlier, the ministry had decided to float a tender for the import of 50,000 MT of medical oxygen.
The Railways said it will run ‘Oxygen Express’ trains over the next few days to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country.
“Since the first empty tankers will move on April 19, we hope to begin operations of Oxygen Express over the next few days. We would be able to send oxygen wherever there is such demand. A green corridor is being created for fast movement of Oxygen Express trains,” an official said.
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra governments had approached the Railways Ministry to explore whether liquid medical oxygen tankers could be moved by the rail network, officials said.
The country’s largest steel-maker SAIL, Tata Steel and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS India) said they were supplying medical oxygen to health facilities.
“Responding to the national urgency, we are supplying 200-300 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen daily to various state governments and hospitals. We are in this fight together and will surely win it! @PMOIndia @TataCompanies,” Tata Steel said in a tweet.
“@SAILsteel supplied more than 33,300 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (#LMO) of 99.7 percent purity of #Oxygen for #COVIDRelief from its integrated steel plants,” SAIL said on Twitter.
According to the steel ministry, 28 oxygen plants located in the steel facility of both public and private sectors are supplying about 1,500 tonnes of medical oxygen every day.