Telangana eyes oxygen self-sufficiency

132 plants being set up besides readying 28,000 oxygen beds to tackle the possible Covid third wave

Hyderabad: The State government has launched a massive exercise to upgrade medical infrastructure across Telangana to ensure Covid patients have ample supply of clean medical oxygen in case of a third wave of the pandemic.

As part of these efforts, the Health Department is readying a whopping 27,966 government hospital beds that will have permanent oxygen lines. To avoid depending on other States for oxygen supply, the authorities are also in the process of establishing 132 oxygen-generating plants in government hospitals across the State.

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Being developed at nearly Rs 157 crore, the oxygen plants and hospital beds equipped with oxygen lines are expected to comfortably meet the projected rise in medical oxygen demand during a probable third wave.

“We are in the process of creating at least 27,966 beds with medical oxygen lines, which is a huge step in our fight against future Covid waves. The medical infrastructure created will also meet long-term needs of patients with other diseases,” Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr K Ramesh Reddy, during a recent interaction with media persons, said.

According to senior health officials, the State already has close to 10,000 beds that have oxygen lines while civic works related to the remaining 17,966 beds are expected to be completed in the next few months. The State government is taking up these works at Rs 53.58 crore in 133 government hospitals across Telangana. The authorities are also in the process of establishing 132 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants across the State.

The PSA is a cost-efficient process that ensures generation of extremely clean and good quality oxygen. Public health officials familiar with the issue said the PSA technology also provides uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen for patients. Such oxygen-generating plants will enable authorities to produce quality oxygen at a place and time of choice and cuts down the role of external oxygen suppliers. Each plant will also come with a three-year maintenance contract from the manufacturers.

Far-sighted approach

• Oxygen beds to be ramped up across 133 govt hospitals
• Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants to be set up on their premises at Rs 103 cr
• Oxygen lines being laid at Rs 53.58 cr
• Rs 317.5 crore earmarked to take on possible Covid third wave

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