Kishan: PM okayed O2 plants in 19 TS hospitals, 23 in AP
Union minister of state for home G. Kishan Reddy said that the Union government has taken measures to permanently reduce the shortage of liquid medical oxygen.
Addressed a virtual press conference from Delhi on Friday, he said that the daily oxygen production has been increased from 5,700 metric tonnes to 10,000 metric tonnes. He said that lakhs of oxygen concentrators are being set up in all government hospitals in the country through PM-Cares funds and to alleviate the shortage of tankers used for transporting oxygen, they have been imported on a largescale.
The minister stated that currently 1,681 oxygen tankers are available,
● THE MINISTER stated that currently 1,681 oxygen tankers are available, with a total transport capacity of
23,056 metric tonnes. He said that medical oxygen cylinders (11.19 lakh) have been made available. He said the number of ventilators installed in government hospitals in the last 74 years was less than
20,000.
with a total transport capacity of 23,056 metric tonnes. He said that medical oxygen cylinders (11.19 lakh) have been made available. He said that the number of ventilators installed in government hospitals in the last 74 years was less than 20,000 while the Modi administration has installed 51,000 across the country.
He said the Centre had initiated measures with funds from PM-Cares to set up 490 oxygen production centres in collaboration with Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) to prevent oxygen deficiency on a permanent basis in government hospitals. He said that new established oxygen plants can produce 1,000 litres of oxygen per minute, which can cater to the requirements of 150 to 190 patients.
Reddy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the nod for establishing such plants in 19 major government hospitals in Telangana and in 23 major government hospitals in AP.
The minister said that oxygen production has already started in some hospitals and it is meeting the immediate needs without any problems. He said the plants have come up in some Telangana and Andhra Pradesh-based hospitals.
He stated that the Centre has given permission to continue the lockdown till June 30, although the decision was left to the state governments.
He clarified that using the concoction developed by B. Anandaiah of Krishnapatnam in Nellore district would depend on the report that will be sent to the Union Ayush department by the Andhra Pradesh government. He said that the Centre has not yet taken any decision on the mixture. He wanted more than one crore vaccine doses for Telangana state and said that vaccine production is expected to increase until September, which will reduce the shortage.