The district headquarters hospital, with around 200 oxygen-supported beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients, has acquired the much-needed Liquid Oxygen Tank (LOT) paving the way for hassle-free oxygen supply to needy patients.
Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar on Wednesday inaugurated the 13-KV LOT installed at a cost of ₹50 lakh under the aegis of the Telangana State Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC) on the hospital premises. The tank has the capacity of 13,000 litres of liquid oxygen equivalent to 1,400 oxygen cylinders, sources said.
Once filled, it will help maintain a reserve stock of oxygen and facilitate uninterrupted oxygen supply through the internal pipeline system to the COVID-19 ward, Intensive Care Units and ‘Mata-Sishu Kendram’ at the hospital for nine days continuously, sources said.
Thanks to the initiative of Collector R.V. Karnan, the long-awaited facility has become a reality at a time when the demand for oxygen has increased multifold amid the pandemic. Last month, the demand for oxygen exceeded the supply in several hospitals in the district as the authorised private suppliers struggled to cope with the surge in demand for the life saving gas for a couple of days, when the COVID-19 cases surged suddenly.
Timely intervention of the district administration helped improve the supply of oxygen cylinders in the last couple of weeks.
Speaking after inaugurating the tank at the hospital here on Wednesday, Mr Ajay said the facility will help ensure uninterrupted supply of oxygen to cater to the requirements of needy patients at the hospital round-the-clock.
Khammam district headquarters hospital is the second government healthcare facility in the State to get the LOT after Siddipet district, he added.
