Pune district’s prep for COVID 3rd wave

In view of the anticipated third Covid-19 wave, the Pune administration is preparing to meet its oxygen requirements, as the state government has pointed out that there is a shortage of 115 metric tonnes of oxygen.

At the peak of the second wave earlier this year, the district required 360 tonnes of oxygen and so for the third wave, the administration has been asked to ensure for 1,080, metric tonnes of oxygen is ready, per day.

To meet the deficit the PMC, PCMC and rural administration is preparing to buy more cylinders and build more liquid medical oxygen (LMO) generation plants

As per the state government’s orders, districts have been asked to prepare for three times the number of active cases during the peak of the second wave. As per that estimate, the district needed 360 metric tonnes of medical oxygen at the peak of the second wave.

Currently, the district has access to about 965 metric tonnes of medical oxygen, which means a deficit of 115 metric tonnes.

As per the district’s report, while liquid medical oxygen which is required for Covid-19 patients in the ICU, is in excess.

Oxygen from the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) method is in deficit by 142 metric tonnes, dura cylinders by 72 metric tonnes and cylinders by 63 metric tonnes.

To fill this deficit, the administration is purchasing 244 dura cylinders – 92 by the PMC, 92 by the PCMC and 60 by Pune rural. More LMO plants are being built.

Dr Ashish Bharti, chief medical officer at PMC said, “PMC has about 10 oxygen plants already functioning and we have six more proposed which would add the capacity by 7,866 oxygen litres per minute. Also we have nine liquid oxygen storage tanks available and we are building three more, so that we can totally have about 173 kilo litres.” Hindustan Times