Panchkula Civil Hospital to increase oxygen storage capacity soon

The Civil Hospital in Sector 6 here is set to increase its liquid medical oxygen storage capacity to 16 kilolitres (kl) to strengthen its preparedness for a possible third wave of the Covid and reserve the supply for indoor patients.

In addition to an already operational oxygen storage tank of 6kl capacity, a 10kl tank reached the hospital yesterday. It is expected to be functional in a week.

Health officials said with both oxygen storage units getting operational, patients requiring oxygen would be quite manageable and it would also help in keeping away supply issues that the hospital faced during the second wave of the pandemic.

Both storage units could manage supply for 265 Covid beds for 60 hours. These units would be required to be refilled after every third day, staff added.

During the peak of the second wave of the pandemic in May this year, the hospital was under an oxygen emergency due to a delay in the arrival of an oxygen tanker from Roorkee, putting the lives of over 250 Covid patients at risk.

The district administration had to seek Punjab’s help in averting a catastrophe from taking place. Apart from the oxygen storage units, the hospital also has an oxygen generation unit.

As the cases increased significantly during the second wave, the oxygen production unit with a capacity of 300 litres per minute (LPM) was put to use in May. The unit can ensure uninterrupted supply to at least 25 oxygen beds 24×7.

Dr Arvind Sehgal, Senior Medical Officer (Infrastructure), General Hospital, Panchkula, said: “These units will have more than sufficient oxygen. The 6kl storage tank was being refilled two times a day during the peak of the second wave of the pandemic. With an additional 10kl storage, it can easily last for 60 hours with all 265 Covid beds operational at one go. Even if we don’t get oxygen supply on time, lives of patients will not be in trouble.” Tribune India