A REPORTER
SHILLONG: Health Minister James P.K. Sangma inaugurated an Oxygen Generation Plant at Nazareth Hospital on Tuesday.
This plant has the capacity to produce up to 800 LPM (litres per minute) of medical oxygen and will provide oxygen therapy and respiratory support to individuals suffering from COVID-19. By adsorbing nitrogen from compressed air, the oxygen generation plant will be able to produce a continuous stream of medical oxygen at 93 per cent purity and will now be able to support 100 beds daily with uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen at peak requirement. This plant was donated by the Google India and was set up with technical and knowledge support from PATH, a non-profit organization that works to accelerate health equity.
India was struck by a severe second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in April this year. To meet the overwhelming demand for medical oxygen that arose – especially in poorly-connected parts of rural India – the Meghalaya government, in addition to its efforts, is also leveraging its partnerships with non-profit organizations in order to improve state oxygen generation capacity to provide oxygen therapy to affected individuals
After the inauguration of the oxygen generation plant, Health Minister James PK Sangma said, "We greatly appreciate PATH foundation for donating the 800 LPM PSA Plant as this will benefit 100 patients who will require oxygen support during critical times possibly for the third wave, which we hope will not happen, but we need to prepare for. This oxygen plant will be an asset not only for Nazareth Hospital, but for the entire health system of the State."
Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Sampath Kumar said, "The State government has been following a very conscious policy that health is a State subject and is thus one of the primary concerns for the welfare of the people. Therefore, with the establishment of the Oxygen Generator Plant here in Nazareth Hospital, it will aid in the oxygen requirement of the people."
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