To prepare for the third COVID infection wave, TN must boost oxygen production
Posted on: 05/Jun/2021 9:25:39 AM
In TN, some few weeks back the hospitals did not have enough oxygen beds due to unexpected increase in the Coronavirus cases. Many patients who were gasping for breath were sent back and they suffered a lot. Now, there are many vacant oxygen beds in the hospitals as the cases have reduced so much.
Warning has been given by the health department officials about the need to produce more oxygen as the demand might go up to 800 tonnes per day. It is known that TN was allotted 600 tonnes of oxygen under the national oxygen plan but it remained in the range of 470 to 530 tonnes. This was according to Mr. J. Radhakrishnan, health secretary. The oxygen requirements have come down in hospitals like RGGGH in Chennai etc.
Mr. Radhakrishnan shed light on how apart from the domestic production of 400 tonnes oxygen has also been received from Jamshedpur, Rourkela, Dolvi etc. By streamlining supply and storage, the oxygen demand was brought down plus the majority of hospitals have been using oxygen concentrators.
The domestic oxygen production was the same but TN was receiving more oxygen supply from eastern states. This was according to Dr. P. Umanath, director, TN Medical Services Corporation. In the last 1 week, the overall demand for oxygen in the private hospitals in Chennai has come down.
Dr. Iyappan Ponnuswamy, chief radiologist of Kauvery Hospitals in Chennai, spoke about how in the peak demand the utilisation was around 1200 litres of oxygen per minute. He hinted that oxygen generators had been installed in early April. It is learnt that these oxygen generators supplied 250litres per minute and have more than 100 cylinders on standby for emergencies. He finally mentioned that the situation has eased now and the demand for oxygen by the patients has been reduced.
If the storage doesnt get improved, then TN would face shortage of oxygen once again. This has been revealed by some experts. It was later pointed out by Dr. K. Kolandaisamy, public health expert that if the number of fresh Covid-19 cases in the upcoming third wave is more than the second wave then oxygen stored would not be sufficient.
