Enhancing the generation and storage capacity of medical oxygen is reported to have reached only the halfway mark in many districts in Maharashtra, based on the statistics from the state’s public health department. During the second wave of the coronavirus, a crisis of medical oxygen supply was faced. Since then, the state according to the instructions given to it from the Union has been enhancing its capacity.
The idea was to generate three times the capacity of medical oxygen than what was required by the respective districts during the second wave peak. An aggregate of 551 pressure swing absorption (PSA) oxygen generated plants was cited that could make 675 metric tons (MT) of oxygen.
Additionally, 303 liquid medical oxygen (LMO) tanks with an aggregate capacity of 4809.99MT were put up across the districts. Statistics from the public health department depicts that a mere 49 per cent which is 268 plants have been put up.
Nearly 156 which is 51 per cent of LMOs, utilized in ICUs, high oxygen dependency units have been installed. Collectively, these store up to 2,307.8 MT of medical oxygen and PSA plants can make another 265MT.
According to accounts, however, projections claim that the state may need 3,838 MT of medical oxygen during the peak of the possible third wave. State data depicts that nearly 16 districts lag in PSA installations, whilst 15 haven’t been able to attain their LMO targets.
Among the 16 districts is Mumbai where the PSA work is lagging. Data from the state highlights that from the 17 proposed PSA plants, only eight have been put up. The civic body however disagrees with the numbers. They claimed to have already put up 23 PSA plants with an additional 45 in the pipeline.
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