The National Highway Authority of India or NHAI will build oxygen plants in Kerala. According to reports, the NHAI will set up 13 plants in Kerala. The first oxygen generation plant is likely to come up in the Government Medical College Kollam, Paripally. The plant will have a generation capacity of 1000 litres per minute.The project is part of the 300 plus medical oxygen plants being set up by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Government of India by using funds from the PM Cares Fund. In the first phase 72 plants will be set up across the county. Among this, two other hospitals too will get the plants - the Government women and children hospital in Alappuzha and the Government hospital in Pala, Kottayam.
Three more hospitals in Kerala will get the facilities in the second phase. They are: General Hospital, Muvattupuzha (Ernakulam district), General Hospital, Thrissur and Malappuram District Hospital in Tirur. In this phase a total of 52 plants will be set up.
Seven plants will be installed in government hospitals across Kerala i.e General Hospital, Alappuzha, INHS Sanjivani, Kochi, Kasaragod District Hospital, Kanhangad, General Hospital, Changanacherry, Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri, Malappuram District Hospital at Perinthalmanna and General Hospital, Neyyatinkara, at a later stage.
While the National Highways Authority of India or NHAI is in charge of the civil and electrical works of the project, the plants are installed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Each plant is likely to cost around Rs 9 to 10 lakh.
Meanwhile the state government has to ensure land, power supply, power backup, oxygen pipeline system etc to set up the plants. Further two technical persons from the hospital will be appointed to manage these plants along with a nodal officer in charge of the plant.