With government hospitals receiving more and more symptomatic COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen support, the demand for beds with oxygen lines has increased. To cater to the increased demand, the Public Works Department has begun a project to provide oxygen pipelines for COVID-19 beds identified at government medical college hospitals and district headquarters and taluk hospitals across the State.
As part of measures to combat COVID-19, the PWD is in the process of providing oxygen lines for nearly 13,900 COVID-19 beds identified at hospitals and upgraded primary health centres across the State. The project has been taken up at a cost of ₹75.28 crore. This follows a recent meeting involving officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department. Oxygen is considered vital for COVID-19 patients.
Change in trend
“The trend has changed. Unlike earlier, we are seeing more symptomatic patients and fewer asymptomatic ones. Out of 100 COVID-19 patients, at least 10 require oxygen support. So, there is an increased demand for beds with oxygen lines. There are more patients with hypoxia and patients requiring extended stay at hospitals. By getting beds with oxygen lines ready at headquarters hospitals and PHCs, we can decrease the rush to tertiary care centres,” a health official said.
PWD officials said that of a total of 30,100 beds identified at various hospitals, the department was in the process of providing oxygen pipelines and vacuum and compressed air pipelines/drop points for 13,900 beds. The remaining beds had already been provided with such pipelines.
Earlier, such facilities were not available in wards on the ground floor and the first floor of some hospitals. Now, such wards will also have those facilities to treat COVID-19 patients. Work has already commenced in some hospitals as part of COVID-19 emergency projects.
In Chennai alone, nearly 5,500 beds will be equipped with oxygen lines. The Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate, has already been provided with the facility. Work to strengthen the Central Sterile Supply Department will be taken up, apart from electrical work at King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Guindy, a PWD official said. Works across the State will be completed in a few days.
Simultaneously, the oxygen capacity of government medical college hospitals in Chennai is being increased, the health official said, adding: “At Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, the oxygen capacity is being increased from 20 kl to 60 kl, while that of Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, Kilpauk Medical College Hospital and Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate, will be increased to 40 kl each. We are providing headquarters hospitals with 10 kl oxygen capacity. We have also procured 10,000 oxygen cylinders and kept them as a reserve.”
