Government medical college hospitals in the State have started increasing the oxygen storage capacity. In some hospitals it has been increased by as much as 10 times as part of preparedness to battle COVID-19 in tune with the WHO guidelines for maintaining continuous supply of oxygen.
Health officials said work was underway to increase the capacity for oxygen storage in four medical college hospitals in the city – Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, Stanley hospital and the dedicated COVID-19 treatment hospital in Omandurar estate.
The Director of Medical Education, R. Narayana Babu, said in all medical colleges work to install additional oxygen tanks had begun.
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Hospitals store liquid oxygen either in cylinders or in tanks on their premises. In the latter instant it supplied through dedicated pipelines. Cylinders are used where tanks or pipelines have not been installed.
The RGGGH, which has a tank with a capacity of 20kl is increasing it to 60 kl by installing two more tanks. At KMC, the 10 kl capacity is being increased to 40 kl, and Stanley hospital’s facility is being increased to 40 kl from the present 20 kl.
At Omandurar hospital and in Tiruvannamalai GH, the storage capacity is being increased from 2 kl to 20 kl, Dr. Babu said.
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“We require almost five times the present need. In all existing medical college hospitals in the State we are increasing the capacity to 40 kl. The first lot of 5,600 oxygen cylinders have also arrived and are being distributed to hospitals that may not have the lines to supply piped oxygen. Each hospital will be supplied 75 cylinders that can be used for as many beds,” he said.
With the State extending the lockdown with a few relaxations, health officials said they were preparing for an eventuality when there could be a sudden rush of cases.