India setting up 21 jumbo hospitals with gaseous oxygen from Steel, Power and Refineries Units
New Delhi: As the country faces unprecedented medical oxygen crisis due to rising number of COVID-19 cases, the government of India has taken several additional steps to enhance oxygen availability including setting up of jumbo hospitals and procurement of one lakh oxygen concentrators under PM care fund.
As many as 21 such Jumbo hospitals with cumulative capacity of 12400 beds are being set up across the country near plant locations. The Jumbo hospitals are being set up using gaseous oxygen from Steel, Power and Refineries, said Piyush Goel, Additional secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.
In view of the sudden rise in oxygen demand, India has augmented its liquid medical oxygen production and supply in war footing. While domestic oxygen production increased from 5720MT/day in March to 9524 MT/day as on 9th May with a 125 per cent capacity utilisation. Similarly, supply of oxygen has also been enhanced from 1320 MT in March to 8943 MT on 9th May.