Even as medical oxygen supply has stabilized in the hospitals in Virudhunagar district, installation of one oxygen generator has come as a big relief to Virudhunagar Government Medical College hospital.
The generator, sponsored by National Highways Authority of India, can produce 1,000 litres of gaseous oxygen a minute. The cost of the plant is ₹ 94.4 lakh.
“We have procured the plant with the help of Defence Research Development Organisation. We are also helping in its civil and electrical installation on the hospital premises,” said NHAI, Madurai Project Officer, Mathivanan.
“The new plant will be commissioned very soon and will make us self sufficient to meet the hospital’s oxygen requirements,” said Virudhunagar Collector, R. Kannan.
Dean of Virudhunagar Government Medical College hospital, J. Sangumani, said that the hospital has got 450 beds and has plans to increase the beds up to 600 in immediate future. “We have 380 oxygen-supported beds, and it would be increased by another 100 beds when the new plant becomes functional,” the Dean said.
However, the hospital has got a 6KL liquefied oxygen tank on its main premises for the high-flow oxygen needs. “Though our need is only 20 cylinders a day, we also have got 98 cylinders as a backup facility,” the Dean said. The hospital, which has allocated 380 beds for COVID treatment, will be able to face the third wave of COVID, the Dean said.
