Nine districts in Karnataka await oxygen refilling plants

As many as nine districts in the state are yet to have oxygen refilling plants. Though there are 64 such units across Karnataka, none have set up shop in these districts. While no private player is interested to foray into some districts, a few others have made it up with advanced technology, which has leveraged their production capacities.

Gadag, Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga, Bidar, Yadgir, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Mandya and Udupi are the districts without oxygen refilling plants. Chamarajanagar district officials said a refilling unit is desirable, especially against the backdrop of the tragedy in May when 24 Covid patients died due to lack of oxygen. For now, it is awaiting oxygen plants with 20 kilolitre capacity to be operational on its new medical college hospital campus, and still uses the services of a private agency 70 km away in Mysuru district.

On August 16, Chamarajanagar’s oxygen consumption was 1.43 metric tonnes at five government and two private hospitals treating Covid patients. The district has 350 oxygenated beds out of which 30 are occupied. On Wednesday, there were 191 active cases in the district. During the peak of second wave, it saw 840 cases in a single day, with a peak active caseload of 6,000-7,000.

Chamarajanagar District Health Officer Dr MC Ravi said, “If any industrialist comes forward, it will be good, but there are no industries here. Only private players can set up refilling plants, there are no government-run refilling plants anywhere; even the one in Mysuru is private. The district administration has promised all support to those interested in establishing one, but no one came. Additionally, we have got two PSA (pressure swing adsorption) oxygen generation plants but they are yet to be functional. In May, we had only six kilolitre LMO (liquid medical oxygen) plant in the district hospital.”

The district has 600-700 jumbo cylinders and has also deployed two oxygen concentrators per primary health centre (PHC).

Kodagu district health officer Dr K Mohan said there are no refilling plants in the district but three new PSA plants have been set up, which are yet to be functional though. Technicians are awaited for one plant in Virajpet with 500 litres per minute (lpm) capacity, and instruments are awaited for another with 1,000 lpm capacity on medical college campus, and Somwarpet’s 390 lpm capacity plant.

“We may need oxygen cylinders only in peripheral PHCs where already two to three oxygen concentrators have also been given per PHC,” he said.

Yadgir district has also similarly got two new PSA plants, one with 500 lpm capacity and another with 1,000 lpm capacity, in addition to its existing six kilolitre LMO plant. Suraksha P, DHNS, Bengaluru, AUG 19 2021, 00:47 ISTUPDATED: AUG 19 2021, 03:39 IST
Though there are 64 oxygen refilling units across Karnataka, none have set up shop in these districts. Credit: PTI File Photo
As many as nine districts in the state are yet to have oxygen refilling plants. Though there are 64 such units across Karnataka, none have set up shop in these districts. While no private player is interested to foray into some districts, a few others have made it up with advanced technology, which has leveraged their production capacities.

Gadag, Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga, Bidar, Yadgir, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Mandya and Udupi are the districts without oxygen refilling plants. Chamarajanagar district officials said a refilling unit is desirable, especially against the backdrop of the tragedy in May when 24 Covid patients died due to lack of oxygen. For now, it is awaiting oxygen plants with 20 kilolitre capacity to be operational on its new medical college hospital campus, and still uses the services of a private agency 70 km away in Mysuru district.

On August 16, Chamarajanagar’s oxygen consumption was 1.43 metric tonnes at five government and two private hospitals treating Covid patients. The district has 350 oxygenated beds out of which 30 are occupied. On Wednesday, there were 191 active cases in the district. During the peak of second wave, it saw 840 cases in a single day, with a peak active caseload of 6,000-7,000.

Chamarajanagar District Health Officer Dr MC Ravi said, “If any industrialist comes forward, it will be good, but there are no industries here. Only private players can set up refilling plants, there are no government-run refilling plants anywhere; even the one in Mysuru is private. The district administration has promised all support to those interested in establishing one, but no one came. Additionally, we have got two PSA (pressure swing adsorption) oxygen generation plants but they are yet to be functional. In May, we had only six kilolitre LMO (liquid medical oxygen) plant in the district hospital.”

The district has 600-700 jumbo cylinders and has also deployed two oxygen concentrators per primary health centre (PHC).

Kodagu district health officer Dr K Mohan said there are no refilling plants in the district but three new PSA plants have been set up, which are yet to be functional though. Technicians are awaited for one plant in Virajpet with 500 litres per minute (lpm) capacity, and instruments are awaited for another with 1,000 lpm capacity on medical college campus, and Somwarpet’s 390 lpm capacity plant.

“We may need oxygen cylinders only in peripheral PHCs where already two to three oxygen concentrators have also been given per PHC,” he said.

Yadgir district has also similarly got two new PSA plants, one with 500 lpm capacity and another with 1,000 lpm capacity, in addition to its existing six kilolitre LMO plant. Deccan Herald