Thread by @knowthenation

#THREAD How Modi govt is ensuring #Oxygen supplies to States

The @MoHFW_INDIA is closely monitoring the availability & supply of Medical #Oxygen and necessary infrastructure available with respective State/UT for management of #COVID19 effectively

The @MoHFW_INDIA with Empowered Group-2 (EG-2) looking after essential medical supplies have conducted various review meetings on Medical #Oxygen Supply with States/UTs including High Priority States & North Eastern States

#IndiaFightsCorona #OxygenCrisis

Regular Video Conferences have been organized by Union Health Ministry & DPIIT with State Nodal Officers for Oxygen and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) nodal officers.

Read here: health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/…

1,02,400 #oxygen cylinders were procured in April & May'2020 & distributed to states to enable easier access of #medicaloxygen to end-users

Further orders for #OxygenCylinders placed for additional 1,27,000 cylinders on 21/04/2021 & deliveries to start by 30/04/2021.

The procurement includes:
- 54,000 jumbo cylinders (D type)
- 73,000 regular cylinders (B type)

#OxygenCrisis #OxygenCylinders #OxygenEmergency

Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants can enable hospitals to become self-sufficient in generation of #oxygen for their needs & thereby, reduce burden on #medicaloxygen supply grid

Union Health Min is in process of commissioning 162 PSA plants (154 MT capacity) across India

38 plants already installed & 21 plants will be installed by 30th Apr

105 plants to be installed by 31st May, increasing to 156 plants by 30th June

Further, 500 PSA plants to be installed in hospitals in dist. headquarters to enhance #oxygen generation in smaller cities & towns

Indigenous technology for PSA plants developed by DRDO (individual plant capacity of 1000 litre/min) and CSIR (individual plant capacity of 500 litres/min) is being explored for the ramp-up of PSA plant availability.

#OxygenCrisis #Oxygen #OxygenShortage #OxygenCylinders

Union Health Ministry has floated a short-term global tender on 16th April 2021 to import 50,000 MT of #medicaloxygen, to be supplied in a span of 90 days, to further augment the supply of medical #oxygen in the country

#OxygenCrisis #OxygenShortage #COVID19 #CovidIndia

To ensure equitable supply of #oxygen, a supply allocation plan for the high burden states was prepared by DPIIT in consultation with States, Ministry of Steel, Ministry of Transport, AIIGMA & all stakeholders

It was issued on 15th April 2021 & further revised on 18th April 2021

Total demand for #medicaloxygen assessed for 23rd April 7281 MT
Of this, total 7409 MT allocated to 21 States

Apart from steel, other manufacturers such as RIL & Linde enhanced production of medical #oxygen in& total capacity increased from about 7200 MT to beyond 8200 MT

India has 1,224 #OxygenTankers (16,732 MT)

To increase the availability of #oxygen tankers to over 2,000:

-50% of existing Nitrogen & Argon tankers (~600) to transport Oxygen
- Import of 138 cryogenic tankers
- IOCL is also manufacturing 50 tankers in Cryogenics Plant, Nashik.

#IndianRailways used for long-distance transport of tankers through Roll on–Roll Off (RORO) service

1st rake with 7 empty tankers already reached from Mumbai to Vizag with 105 MT of #Oxygen from RINL, Vizag to Kalamboli, #Maharashtra to depart with filled containers on 22nd Apr

Further, another train for the supply of 120 MT of #medicaloxygen from SAIL, Bokaro to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh departed from Lucknow on 22nd April

#CovidIndia #IndiaFightsCoronaTogether #Oxygen #OxygenExpress #OxygenCylinders

Air transport of empty #oxygentankers to cut the Turn Around Time has also been initiated to deal with the emergencies

Defence Ministry is coordinating with #oxygen suppliers for air-lifting of tankers

#IndianAirForce (IAF) is also shipping ISO tankers from Singapore.

Min. of Home Affairs on 22 April issued instructions to all States/UTs to ensure no restriction is imposed on movement of #MedicalOxygen between States & transport auth. be instructed to allow free inter-state movement of #oxygen carrying vehicles without any timing restrictions

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on 26th September 2020 issued instruction of fixing the price of Liquid Medical #Oxygen, while prices were already fixed for gaseous #medicaloxygen

#OxygenShortage #Oxygen #COVID19 #IndiaFightsCovid

An order dated 7th April was issued by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to industrial gas manufacturers to be allowed license for manufacturing #medicaloxygen within 24 hours of receiving the application for the same by DCGI

#OxygenShortage #Oxygen #IndiaFightsCovid

Union Health Ministry restricted industrial use of oxygen on 18th April.

Order amended on 21st April, to prohibit the supply of #oxygen to all industrial use effective 22nd April except certain specified industries

This resulted in 1,000 MT of additional oxygen availability.

All States advised rationalising #oxygen use & prohibit abnormal use by monitoring non-closure of valve during no-use, unnecessary oxygen to patients who do not clinically require it & monitoring pvt health facilities pushing #oxygencylinders as part of #COVID19 home care package

States were also advised to undertake #oxygen consumption audit in hospitals including private hospitals & to undertake facility-wise/hospital-wise oxygen inventory mapping and advance planning for timely replenishment so that there is no stock out.

#OxygenShortage #COVID19