Calicut Medical college sets up centralised oxygen system
KOZHIKODE: Amidst rising demand for hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, Kozhikode Government Medical College has successfully set up a centralised pipeline oxygen supply system. State government has also installed the system at the Beach General Hospital (Beach Hospital).
The facility ensured supply of oxygen to patients in multiple beds simultaneously.
Instead of giving separate cylinder to each bed, the hospitals will be able to supply oxygen to all patients through a pipeline from a common distribution centre.
Oxygen taken from the plants will be collected in a special tank and filled in the oxygen outlets arranged close to each bed through a pipeline.
Oxygen in the cylinders also can be supplied through the pipeline.
In Medical College, a total of 554 beds in various departments are equipped with oxygen outlets. In view of the COVID-19 second wave, the oxygen supply will be ensured to 200 beds too. Centralized oxygen supply is available for 400 beds in the hospital for women and children here. Oxygen points are being operated in 200 beds at PMSSY block which are reserved for COVID patients in the Medical College.
Currently, the installation of over 220 oxygen outlets is in progress. It is expected that the work will be completed within two weeks.
Chest Hospital, Super Speciality Hospital and Cancer Centre at the medical college campus also have centralized oxygen supply facility, though COVID-19 patients are not admited there. At the Beach Hospital, 22 beds are arranged in medical and surgical ICUS each with this facility.
At present, all beds in ICU are occupied by COVID-19 patients. Apart from this, Cardiac ICU with 9 beds, cardiac ward with 18 beds and two operation theatres are utilising this centralized oxygen facility.
This facility was arranged in the hospital during the first phase of the COVID-19 outbreak itself. Preparations are afoot to make additional 120 beds equipped with the facility.
A total of 35,013 new COVID-19 cases and 41 deaths were reported in Kerala on Wednesday. Test positivity rate is 25.34.