The Delhi government on Wednesday inaugurated 27 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generating plants and two cryogenic oxygen refilling plants in state-run hospitals across the capital. The PSA plants can generate 31 metric tonnes of the life-saving gas a day, while the cryogenic refilling plants have a cumulative capacity of 12 metric tonnes.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia inaugurated two PSA oxygen plants each at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya and Dr Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan in East Delhi. Health Minister Satyendar Jain inaugurated three such oxygen plants at Lok Nayak Hospital and one at Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital. Jain also inaugurated two cryogenic refilling plants with a capacity of 12 MT each near Siraspur Hospital. Besides, several MLAs inaugurated PSA oxygen plants in their areas.
Sisodia said there will be no shortage of oxygen in any Delhi hospital in the future. “The rate of (coronavirus) infection in Delhi has come down, but the government is fully prepared to fight any future crisis. The government is setting up PSA oxygen plants so that hospitals do not have to take oxygen from outside the state. Other hospitals can also refill oxygen cylinders from these plants during emergencies,” a statement quoted Sisodia as saying.Jain said these oxygen plants have been installed keeping in mind the possible third wave of COVID-19.
“The government is taking complete precaution in view of the upcoming festival season. The government has already put the graded response system in the public domain. Presently, only three to five people are testing positive out of 10,000. The graded response system will kick in when the capital will report five positive cases against 1,000 tests conducted daily,” he said.
The Delhi government had also approved the Medical Oxygen Production Promotion Policy in August to provide incentives to the private sector for setting up oxygen production plants, storage facilities and oxygen tankers. Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel inaugurated two PSA plants at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital and Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam inaugurated one such plant at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital.