Why in News ?
Oxygen crisis in India increasing and 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.
Key Facts
- These plants should be made functional as soon as possible and these plants will serve as a major boost to oxygen availability at the district level.
- Dedicated plants will be established in identified Government hospitals in district headquarters in various States/UTs.
- The procurement will be done through Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- PM CARES Fund had earlier this year allocated Rs.201.58 crores for installation of additional 162 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants.
- Need for Oxygen Generation Plants
- Aims to further strengthen the public health system and ensure that each of these hospitals has a captive oxygen generation facility.
- This will address the day to day medical oxygen needs of these hospitals and the district.
Reason behind Oxygen Crisis in India
India has a daily production capacity of at least 7,100 tonnes of oxygen this including for industrial use and enough to meet current demand oxygen demand in the country. India’s total medical oxygen demand was just 3,842 tonnes as of 2021 April 12.
- Medical oxygen supply is not reaching hospital beds in time.
- Major reason for the crisis is due to
- Production units are located far away
- Stretched distribution network
- Bad planning or bad assessment of requirement.
- Because of the hazardous nature of the substance it must be transported in a specialised tankers requiring advance planning to ensure deliveries are made on time.
- Local officials in some regions stopped the movement of tankers to keep supplies for themselves.
- Many of the states dragged to ensure the upcoming demand of oxygen.
Government Effort to ensure Oxygen Supply
- Government allocated 6,822 tonnes of liquid oxygen per day to 20 worst-affected states.
- Activated the Indian railways to move multiple tankers from refilling plants to where it is most needed.
- The government is also using the Air Force’s cargo planes to fly empty tankers to production hubs.
- Armed forces are importing 23 mobile oxygen generation plants from Germany.
- The government has issued orders to convert argon and nitrogen tankers into oxygen ones.
Source : PIB
GS II : Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
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