CSR funds ensure oxygen supply at PMC hospitals ready for third wave

PUNE During the pandemic, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) received a lot of from funds raised under corporate social responsibility (CSR) and from public representatives

PUNE During the pandemic, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) received a lot of from funds raised under corporate social responsibility (CSR) and from public representatives. These funds helped the civic body buy necessary equipment for civic hospitals. Before the pandemic none of the civic hospitals had any ventilators or ICU beds, or even an oxygen generation plant. However, the pandemic forced the civic body to enhance its hospitals with all essential medical equipment.

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As of June 27, 10 civic hospitals have 214 ICU beds and 1,274 oxygen beds. Similarly none of the hospitals, including Naidu hospital which was the only infection control hospital in the state in March 2020, when the pandemic began, had an oxygen generation plant and had to completely rely on oxygen cylinders. As of Sunday, the 10 civic hospitals located across the city have got, or will receive, 15 oxygen generation plants. Of the 15 plants, four plants have been commissioned, work orders have been issued for eight plants and three are in the process of sanction. These 15 plants when put to use will generate 12,733 litres of oxygen per minute. Each hospital of these 10 will receive one plant each, except for major hospitals like Naidu hospital, Dalvi hospital, Baner (old), Baner (new) and Rajiv Gandhi hospital, will have two oxygen generation plants each.

Except for the two oxygen generation plants at Rajiv Gandhi hospital which have been built completely on PMC funds, the rest of the construction has either been funded through CSR, the mayor’s fund or in collaboration with PMC and CSR. The addition of oxygen generation plants will make the hospital independent of oxygen cylinders and this will become a permanent addition to the hospital. The shortage of oxygen was felt during both the first and second wave of Covid-19, and so these plants will ensure that the same situation is not repeated if the anticipated third wave is harsher than the first two.

Additional municipal commissioner Rubal Agarwal said, “During the pandemic, along with the administration, multiple organisations stepped forward to lend their support to the city. Through such contributions we could upgrade our civic hospitals. As of now all our major hospitals, including Dalvi maternity home, have oxygen generation plants. These plants will help the city even after the pandemic ends.”

Med Asia has donated ₹1.5 crore worth of medical equipment to BJ Medical college and Sassoon general hospital. The equipment includes ventilators, oxygen concentrators, rapid antigen kits, PPE kits and others.