New Delhi: Taking note of the urgency of ECMO machines for acute Covid-19 patients, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Dharmendra Pradhan has instructed Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) to make this facility available in all hospitals and Covid Care facilities run by SAIL’s steel plants including Rourkela Steel Plant.
He said this while dedicating to the nation a 114 bedded COVID Care Facility in Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) of SAIL in Chhattisgarh. T
his hospital is equipped with gaseous oxygen and has been set up after laying a pipeline of 1.5 Km for supply of gaseous oxygen from the plant.
This is the first phase of this project which aims to scale up to reach a total of 500 oxygenated beds in the subsequent two more phases, he said adding that the centre has a facility of double oxygen backup supply.
Apart from gaseous oxygen as the main source, there is also provision of back-up of stored Liquid Medical Oxygen.
The facility is also equipped with necessary internet and telecom services to facilitate IT requirements and remote consultancy.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest call – “Jahan Bimaar, Wahi Upchaar” – Pradhan said while efforts are on to set up hospitals near the source of gaseous oxygen, today’s inauguration is another step towards that vision.
Mr.Pradhan said that SAIL hospitals have played important role in treating patients during the second wave of the COVID-19 and supplying liquid medical oxygen in the country to meet the surge in demand of LMO.
The second wave of Covid-19 led to sudden and sharp surge in Oxygen demand, he said adding that the demand of the Liquid Medical Oxygen was about 1300 MT per day in early April which went up to 10 thousand MT by mid-May.
“The load was managed by taking several steps, and the steel sector played the prime role in this. The steel plants rose to the occasion and met the nation’s requirement even at the cost of reducing their production,” Mr.Pradhan said.
2.8 lakh MT of LMO was supplied out of which almost 2 lakh has been provided by Steel and Petroleum sectors, he added.
Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste spoke about various measures being taken by the steel sector during the COVID-19 pandemic