The Centre will procure one lakh portable oxygen concentrators and set up 500 more pressure swing adsorption oxygen plants using monies from the PM CARES Fund to improve access to the life saving drug in high burden states.
“In addition to the earlier sanctioned 713 PSA plants under PM Cares Fund, 500 new Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants have been sanctioned under PM CARES Fund,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.
“This will improve access to oxygen, especially in district HQs and Tier-2 cities,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
The PMO said in a statement that the oxygen concentrators and the new PSA plants will greatly augment the supply of oxygen near the demand clusters.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Modi to discuss the measures needed to improve the supply of Liquid Medical Oxygen for COVID-19 management.
Modi has directed that these oxygen concentrators should be procured at the earliest and provided in states with high case burden, the statement said.
These 500 PSA plants will be established with the transfer of the indigenous technology developed by DRDO and CSIR to the domestic manufacturers.
Establishing PSA plants and procurement of portable oxygen concentrators will greatly augment the supply of oxygen near the demand clusters, thereby addressing the current logistical challenges in transporting oxygen from plants to hospitals, the statement said.
The demand for life-saving gas has increased with the surge in the COVID cases with several hospitals sending out SOS for its supply. Several deaths have also been reported due to lack of oxygen supply in hospitals.