How Kerala became an oxygen-surplus State in one year
May 01, 2021
Concerted efforts to add capacity and maintain existing facilities The Covid-19 second wave has disrupted the demand supply scenario of medical oxygen in several parts of the country. However, Kerala seems to be sitting pretty, thanks to the efforts of Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) in augmenting capacity and plugging leakages.
The achievement has been made possible through concerted efforts to set up oxygen plants and maintain the existing ASU (Air Separation Unit) plants and manufacturing plants both in public and private sectors over the past one year.
Allaying fears of an oxygen scarcity, RVenugopal, Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives, PESO, Nodal officer (Medical Oxygen Monitoring), Kerala & Lakshadweep)said the State has a stock of 430 tonnes with a daily supply of 140 tonnes. Currently, there are 11 Air Separation Units (ASU) for filling cylinders from gaseous oxygen and there is
Hospitals asked to clean up oxygen cylinders
Updated:
Updated:
PESO claims the used cylinders were found not disinfected well
Share Article
PESO claims the used cylinders were found not disinfected well
Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives R. Venugopal, who is also the Nodal Officer for Oxygen Monitoring in Kerala and Lakshadweep, has given a call to hospitals to clean up the oxygen cylinders prior to collection by the gas supplier.
The authorities have also asked the institutions to ensure identification of externally contaminated cylinders with clear marking or labelling. The authorities also said that cylinders pick-up area should be located away from the patient wards and infection areas of a hospital.
How Kerala Achieved Self Sufficiency in Oxygen And Now Supplies Goa, Karnataka, TN Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja to The Citizen
Kerala first started thinking about oxygen self sufficiency in February last year, when the first wave of the pandemic hit India. Dependent till then on industrial units in neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Kerala moved to generate its own liquid oxygen supply for medical purposes. Experts advised us in the initial phase of the pandemic itself that treating corona positive people requires large amounts of oxygen. So, we decided to increase the production of oxygen in the state with a future-oriented perspective. The Central government s Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) was the major consultant for us in the case of oxygen and it has helped us get a new direction, Kerala s Health Minister K K Shailaja told The Citizen.
Kerala’s turnaround into oxygen surplus State in two years
Updated:
Updated:
Share Article
AAA
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Till two years ago, Kerala used to depend on its neighbouring States for its regular supply of liquid oxygen for medical purposes. Its transformation into an oxygen surplus State began with the setting up of oxygen plants in the public and private sectors over the past two years and the steps taken by the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) over the past year to augment capacity and plug leakages.
On March 23 last year, the PESO nodal officer convened a meeting of the liquid oxygen manufacturers on the issues that are anticipated with the spread of COVID-19. They were also to provide daily reports on the production and storage status. Hospitals were asked to ensure that their systems are maintained properly arresting any leakages.
Kerala - State With Surplus Oxygen Amid Mounting Covid Crisis Kerala - State With Surplus Oxygen Amid Mounting Covid Crisis Kerala has increased its oxygen availability by 58% over the last one year
Kerala: This year the supply to industries was staggered, with focus on medical oxygen (File)
Thiruvananthapuram:
Just 100 meters into Thiruvananthapuram Medical College complex, is the liquid medical oxygen plant that caters to patients in ICUs. Instead of the earlier 20KL capacity, it s now double at 40KL capacity. And this isn t an exception in Kerala. However, it is at variance with the situation in the rest of the country where there is a scramble for oxygen with several hospitals reporting acute shortages.