Centre to set up 551 PSA oxygen generation plants through PM CARES

The Prime Minister Office has stated that PM CARES Fund has given approval for setting up 551 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants inside public health facilities across the country. This will be done in order to boost the availability of oxygen in hospitals that are dealing with the worsening COVID-19 situation.

"PM has directed that these plants should be made functional as soon as possible. He said that these plants will serve as a major boost to oxygen availability at the district level," read a PMO press release.

The PMO has stated that these medical oxygen generation plants will be set up in identified government hospitals in district headquarters of various states and Union Territories. The procurement for these will be done through the Union Health Ministry.

Earlier, the PM CARES fund had allocated Rs 201,58 crores for the installation of an additional 162 dedicated PSA medical oxygen generation plants inside public health facilities across the country, as per the release.

The aim behind setting up PSA medical oxygen generation plants at government hospitals in district headquarters is to strengthen the public health system and to ensure that these public hospitals have captive oxygen generating facility.

"Such an in-house captive oxygen generation facility would address the day to day medical oxygen needs of these hospitals and the district. In addition, the liquid medical oxygen (LMO) would serve as a "top up" to the captive oxygen generation," noted the release.

The PMO adds that such a system will ensure that government hospitals don't face sudden disruption of oxygen supplies. It will also ensure that public hospitals have adequate uninterrupted oxygen supply in order to manage COVID-19 patients and other patients who are in need of oxygen support.

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