Odisha COVID crisis: Oxygen plants at two hospitals in Jagatsinghpur soon

JAGATSINGHPUR:  Oxygen plants will be installed at the district headquarters hospital by May 20 and in Covid Hospital, Paradip by May 25, said Jagatsinghpur Collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra. 

At a meeting held virtually on Friday, the Collector said the Covid-19 situation in the district is under control. At present there is no shortage of oxygen in the district but in order to meet any exigencies in future, it was decided to install oxygen plants at the two hospitals.

Sources said IFFCO, Paradip will set up an oxygen plant on its plant premises by June 15 for supplying free oxygen to hospitals across the nation.

The capacity of the plant will be 150 cubic metre per hour. While medical grade oxygen will be generated at the plant, it will be filled in 520 D type cylinders and 200 medium B size cylinders daily. 

Similarly, Paradeep Phosphate Limited (PPL), Paradip will install Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants to meet the demands of hospitals within  the State. 

This apart, three Covid care centres have been opened in this district- one at Paradip and the other at Kalyan Mandap in Jagatsinghpur town while the third centre has come up at Ashra centre in Nabapatana under Jagatsinghpur block.

As many as 28 temporary medical centres have been opened in different panchayats of the district. Apart from the Covid Hospital at Paradip, two others will soon be set up at Balikuda or Jagatsinghpur.

The administration has apprised the State government of shortage of pulmonologists and anaesthetists in the district. Besides, as many as 17 ambulances are engaged in transporting Covid patients in the district.