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Chandigarh: Four oxygen generation plants inaugurated
Four pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants were inaugurated at government health institutes in Chandigarh on Thursday
Four pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants were inaugurated at government health institutes in Chandigarh on Thursday, giving a medical boost to the city amid the possibility of the third wave of the pandemic.
The 500-litre oxygen per minute (LPM) capacity plant at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH) in Sector 16, was among the 35 such units which were virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the PM Cares fund across 35 states and union territories.
The second plant was inaugurated by UT administrator and Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit and UT adviser Dharam Pal at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). The plant holds the capacity to generate 1,000 LPM oxygen.
Besides, Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher virtually inaugurated PSA plants at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, (with capacity of 1000 LPM), and GMCH’s South Campus at Sector 48 (100 LPM).
So far, four oxygen generation plants have been set up at Chandigarh’s four government health institutes (including the plants which were formally inaugurated on Thursday) with a cumulative capacity to generate 3,600 litres of medical oxygen per minute.
Besides, four more oxygen plants are being established at various government hospitals in the UT with the help of donations from non-governmental organisations. Once operational, 2,000 LPM oxygen will be added to Chandigarh’s in-house generation capacity.
During the second wave, the demand for oxygen had suddenly increased with the rise in patient load and the UT administration had to request the Centre to raise its oxygen quota from 20MT to 35MT.
“Chandigarh is the first in the country to install and make the PSA oxygen plants functional in all major government hospitals. We now have sufficient oxygen generation capacity to handle another surge in cases. We are also promoting private hospitals to install their own PSA plants,” said Yashpal Garg, health secretary, Chandigarh.
