Thiruvananthapuram: The second wave of COVID-19 has tightened its grip across the country and the death toll has witnessed an uptick. Hospitals across the country have been grappling over the shortage of oxygen supply while breathlessness has posed a villain for Covid-19 patients.
The huge influx of patients has brought pressure on the health infrastructure in most of the states. Contrastingly, Kerala has been producing double the quantity of oxygen required per day. The adequate availability of oxygen and its reserve is a sigh of relief for the state.
Kerala moves ahead with care and caution
Kerala Government's Health Department has been able to ensure that there is no shortage of oxygen in the state and every needy patient has been supplied with adequate oxygen, as per the Centre's direction during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Joint efforts of the State government and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) turned fruitful.
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High oxygen production
At present, Kerala produces 204 metric tonnes of oxygen per day while the usage per day now stands at 80 metric tonnes. The usage per day is inclusive of oxygen requirement for Covid patients, 35 metric tonnes, as well as for non-Covid patients, that is, 45 metric tonnes.
Looking at the infrastructure of oxygen production, there are four oxygen production companies and eleven air separation units in the State. Construction work of another air separation unit with a capacity of four metric tonnes has been completed and it would be commissioned in April 2021. 23 oxygen filling stations have also been set up. In case of emergency, there is also the facility to expedite the quantity of oxygen production within a short time.
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Systematic operations
Since last year, the State has put in place a smooth operational system for oxygen supply in the wake of the pandemic. PESO, which is under the Central Government, has the supervisory role of supplying medical oxygen. The Chief Controller of Explosives has appointed Nodal Officers to oversee the medical oxygen distribution in all States. Dr R Venugopal has been entrusted with the duty in Kerala.
