Covid Crisis: 551 oxygen plants to be set up through PM Cares Fund

With several states facing an acute shortage of medical oxygen, the Prime Minister Office on Sunday announced that the PM CARES Fund will be utilised to set up 551 oxygen generation plants in public health facilities across the country. The PMO said that that the PM Cares Fund has given in-principle approval for allocation of funds for the installation of 551. The top office also directed that these plants should be made functional as soon as possible as they will act as a major boost to oxygen availability at the district level.

“In line with Prime Minister’s direction of boosting the availability of oxygen to hospitals, the PM CARES Fund has given in-principle approval for allocation of funds for installation of 551 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants inside public health facilities in the country. PM has directed that these plants should be made functional as soon as possible. He said that these plants will serve as a major boost to oxygen availability at the district level,” the PMO stated in a press release.

“Such a system will go a long way in ensuring that government hospitals in the districts do not face sudden disruption of oxygen supplies and have access to adequate uninterrupted oxygen supply to manage the Covid-19 patients and other patients needing such support,” the statement said.

The announcement came as several hospitals across the country have made a desperate cry for help due to severe shortage of medical oxygen. Oxygen is an important element used in the treatment of certain medical conditions which arise due to the Covid-19 infection. It added that the in-house oxygen generation facility would address “day to day medical oxygen needs of these hospitals and the district”.

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According to the statement, the PM CARES fund had earlier this year allocated Rs 201.58 crore for installation of additional 162 dedicated PSA Medical Oxygen Generation Plants inside public health facilities in the country.