Hospitals to get incentives to set up O2 plants

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials to be on alert on black fungus cases and take all precautions while administering oxygen to patients.Addressing a review meeting on Covid-19 situation and vaccination in the state, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to prepare protocols for use of oxygen masks, negating scope for black fungus. He said oxygen supply pipes and masks should be of stipulated standards and asked them to set up oxygen generator plants according to bed capacity in all government hospitals. 

He instructed them to establish PSA oxygen generation plants at every hospital with a capacity of more than 50 beds. For those setting up oxygen generation plants with more than 100 tonnes, 20 per cent incentive will be provided, he announced. The Chief Minister directed the officials to arrange ICU beds in government hospitals for treating children. He directed them to focus on creating a production capacity of 300 metric tons of oxygen in the state and opined that such arrangements are necessary to take care of future needs. 

He instructed officials to take measures to ensure that oxygen is produced in the state as per the current demand. They informed him that a manufacturing industry is being set up in Kadapa district to meet the demand of Zeolite which is used in production of oxygen.“Complete global tenders for vaccine procurement as soon as possible,” he said and added that four crore doses of vaccine are being procured for 2 crore people. Two doses of vaccine should be given to people above 45 years at first and later to people in the 18-45 group.

The global tenders for 4 crore doses of vaccines were called on May 13 and pre-bid meeting was conducted on May 20 and the last date for bidding is June 3. Officials were asked to take stringent action against overcharging hospitals and people who indulge in black marketing of Remedviser injections.The officials informed the Chief Minister that two oxygen trains are running for supply of oxygen and one more oxygen train will start in the following week and added that four tankers are being airlifted to Bhubaneshwar everyday. They said the government is able to draw the oxygen wherever it is allotted. They said oxygen is being supplied effectively using ISO tankers and an audit is being conducted on usage of Oxygen in hospitals.

They said 52.75 metric tons of oxygen production is achieved by restoring 9 PSA units and added that work to restore another five PSA units is in progress. They said modification of 12 nitrogen units will add another 11.41 metric tonnes to oxygen production. The officials informed the Chief Minister that there are 45,611 beds in 621 Covid hospitals in the state, of which 38,763 beds are occupied and 28,189 are being treated under Arogyasri. There are 6,217 ICU beds, 22,756 non ICU oxygen  beds,‌ 16,638 non ICU non-oxygen beds and 3,407 ventilators in the Covid hospitals.