Karnataka: Oxygen plants in district, taluk hospitals

HUBBALLI: The state government has taken the initiative to set up exclusive oxygen plants in 10 districts and 30 taluk hospitals in the state to ensure there is no shortage of oxygen in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
On Thursday, the state government issued a work order to a Delhi-based company to set up oxygen plants and work is expected to start in a couple of days.The government intends to finish the process of the setup of plants within a month.
The basic aim behind establishing the plants at government hospitals in the district headquarters is to strengthen the public health system and ensure that each of these hospitals has a captive oxygen generation facility.
The plants will be equipped with moderate machines in which per minute 400 to 500 liters of oxygen is expected to be generated. For the establishments of plants the government is spending more than Rs 15 crore.
According to sources in the health department, the government has decided to set up 500 LPM VSA technology oxygen generator plants at 10 district hospitals which they have already identified. In Bengaluru division K C General Hospital, Malleswaram in Bengaluru District, hospitals in Davanagere, Kolar and Tumakuru.
In Mysuru division, district hospitals in Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru, and Udupi will be equipped along with Bagalkot and Haveri district hospitals in Belagavi division and in Kalaburagi and Yadgiri district hospital.
The taluk hospitals will be equipped with 390 LPM PSA technology oxygen generator plants.
The oxygen plants will come up in eight hospitals each in Bengaluru division and Mysuru division, 9 taluks in Belagavi division, and 5 talluk hospitals in Kalaburgi division. In Belagavi districts two taluk hospitals have been identified in Khanapur and Chikkodi and in Uttar Kannada two taluk hospitals in Sirsi and Bhatkal.
Dr K V Trilok Chandra, commissioner, health and family welfare department, said to overcome the oxygen issue permanently, we are going to set up plants at the district and taluk hospitals.
“The contractor has been asked to finish the work within a month. The plants once ready will generate 400 to 500 liters of oxygen in a minute,” he added.