Lokmat News Network
Nagpur, May 23
In March and April, when the Covid cases peaked in city, there was a severe shortage of oxygen and the city imported oxygen from plants in Gujarat, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
The hospital administration was also in deep trouble as the GMCH required 14,000 to 24,000 cubic meters of oxygen per day. But now that the number of patients has decreased, the demand has come down to 7,000 cubic meters.
Nagpur district production and supply from outside collectively supplied 114 metric tons of oxygen to the district. But in April, demand for oxygen had gone up to 115 to 120 metric tonnes in district. The demand for medical alone was 20,000 to 24,000 cubic meters per day.
Three 20,000-liter liquid oxygen plants at GMCH were awaiting refilling. The overall situation was dire. But the government took immediate steps and arranged oxygen from other states. It is now being planned that there will be no shortage of oxygen in the third wave, especially in GMCH.
Demand has increased since the first week of April
In Nagpur district, the second wave of corona started from the second week of February. The demand for oxygen increased tremendously as the oxygen beds in government and private hospitals began to fill up. Medical demand alone increased from 7,000 cubic meters of oxygen on April 1 to 10,000 cubic meters in five days. It increased to 14,000 cubic meters on April 10, 19,000 on April 17 and 24,000 on April 28.
As the number of patients began to decline in May, so did the demand for oxygen. On May 20, the demand was 7,000 cubic meters.
Decrease in demand for oxygen
In April, the demand for oxygen in medical was 20,000 to 24,000 cubic meters. But now that it decreased to 7,000 cubic meters, there is some relief. If the number of patients decreases in the next few days, it is likely to decrease further.
-Dr Vasudev Barsagade,
Head, Department of Anesthesia, GMCH
Oxygen planning for the third wave
GMCH has undertaken planning as a third wave of corona is expected. Care is being taken to ensure that there is no shortage of oxygen. The government has approved a cryogenic oxygen plant. About 1,000 to 1,200 jumbo cylinders of oxygen will be provided daily. It is planned to give this oxygen to the patients in the general ward and liquid oxygen in the medical to the patients in the ICU.
-Dr Sudhir Gupta,
Dean GMCH
This is the increase This is the decrease
April 1: 7,000 cubic meters - May 1: 20,000 cubic meters
April 5: 10,000 cubic meters - May 5: 15,000 cubic meters
April 10: 14,000 cubic meters - May 10: 14,000 cubic meters
April 17: 19,000 cubic meters - May 13: 9,000 cubic meters
April 28: 24,000 cubic meters - May 20: 7,000 cubic meters