By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 13, 2021: Odisha government on Wednesday proposed the Centre for installation of 40 oxygen plants in the State to handle the rising caseload and demand for medical oxygen, The plants would be set up in all medical college and hospitals, district headquarters hospitals (DHHs), Capital Hospital, Rourkela Government Hospital and Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC) at Cuttack.

The pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants will be set up by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with several agencies, including the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), sources said.

Earlier, the Centre had sought proposals from the State government based on the requirement of medical oxygen plants. Additional Chief Secretary of Health PK Mohapatra said the list of hospitals with bed strength has been sent to the Ministry. “The State government will make provision and construct the medical gas pipeline system in the hospitals where the plants will be set up,” he said.

Besides, the state government is also setting up 16 liquid medical oxygen plants at a cost of Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore each at strategic locations alongside the medical institutions. While work on one plant at Berhampur has been completed, the rest are under process, Mohapatra added.

Meanwhile, of the 40 proposed sites, the DRDO has been allotted seven districts. Based on the on-board oxygen generation technology developed by Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory for light combat aircraft Tejas, the plants will be set up at Cuttack, Boudh, Bhadrak, Gajapati, Jharsuguda, Koraput and Nayagarh.

While NHAI has been entrusted with construction of the shed and electrification, DRDO will install the plants funded by PM Cares. Construction work for the plants at AHPGIC and Boudh DHH has already commenced.

NHAI Chief General Manager Ram Prasad Panda said, “We have received approval for two plants in the first phase and five in the second. The sheds at the two places will be ready within the next 15-20 days and thereafter the DRDO will set up the plant.” The oxygen plant is designed for a capacity of 1,000 litre per minute to cater to around 200 patients while charging 195 cylinders per day.