COVID-19: Indian Railways set to have 86 Oxygen plants for its hospitals

Amid the unprecedented medical oxygen crisis during the second wave of COVID-19 in the country, the Indian Railways is set to have 86 oxygen plants for their hospitals. Out of 86, 4 oxygen plants are functional, 52 are sanctioned, and 30 under various stages of processing. 

As per an official press release, the number of beds for Covid treatment has been increased from 2539 to 6972. Invasive ventilators have been added and their number has been increased from 62 to 296. General Managers have been delegated further powers, up to Rs 2 crores in each case for sanctioning Oxygen Generation plants, and the ICU Beds in Covid hospitals have been increased from 273 to 573.

"Invasive ventilators have been added and their number has been increased from 62 to 296. Constant efforts are being made to add critical medical equipment like BIPAP machines, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, etc in Railway hospitals. Railways have also issued instructions that Covid affected employees may be admitted to impaneled hospitals on a referral basis as per need," the railways informed. 

On May 14, Railways had delivered nearly 7,900 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in nearly 500 tankers to 12 states across the country since April 19, Oxygen Express trains have been delivering nearly 800 tonnes of LMO daily across the country over the last few days. Oxygen Expresses started their LMO deliveries on April 19, when empty tankers from Mumbai started for Vijaywada to be loaded with 126 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen.

COVID In India

India saw a record of 4,529 fatalities due to coronavirus in a single day pushing the COVID-19 death toll to 2,83,248, while 2,67,334 fresh infections were recorded taking the total tally of cases to 2,54,96,330, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The active cases have further reduced to 32,26,719 comprising 12.66 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 86.23 percent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,19,86,363 while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.11 percent, the data stated.

(With Agency Inputs)