Karnataka’s first oxygen converter plant to come up in Virajpet Government Hospital

KEY STORY

• Kodagu has become the first district in Karnataka to be sanctioned an oxygen converter plant. The plant is currently being installed at Virajpet Government Hospital.  An oxygen converter generates oxygen from natural air.

• The 1-tonne capacity oxygen converter plant is expected to be ready in the next 15 days. Once completed, there will be uninterrupted oxygen supply to nearly 100 beds to treat Covid patients. While the Madikeri Covid-19 Hospital was the only centre in the district that treated severe and moderate Covid patients, the administration opened dedicated Covid care centres (CCCs) in Virajpet and Somwarpet taluks.

• However, due to shortage of availability of jumbo oxygen cylinders, the 50-bed capacity  CCC  in Virajpet Hospital remained shut. “The plant is being set up at a cost of Rs 1 crore. This is the first of its kind in the state and once installed, we do not have to worry about oxygen shortage,” said Dr Yatiraj, Virajpet taluk Health Officer. “We had placed a proposal for jumbo cylinders.

• However, with the oxygen converter plant, we will not require any such cylinders,” Dr Yatiraj further said.
  Meanwhile, the current 50 beds with oxygen units are now being expanded to 98 beds which will be connected to the oxygen converter plant. “Currently, no Covid-19 patient is being treated at the centre due to lack of oxygen cylinders. However, once the plant is ready, there will be no hurdle in treating patients,” he added.

  US Surgeon Gen’s foundation donates supplies 

• Madikeri: The Scope Foundation, headed by United States Surgeon General  Dr Vivek Murthy, has donated medical supplies  worth Rs 70 lakh to Kodagu. The supplies were handed over to Deputy Commissioner Charulatha Somal by senior advocate HS Chandramouli on Sunday.

• Many advanced medical supplies, including 70 oxygen converters, 70 medical transformers, 5,000 face shields, Rs 1.30 lakh worth N95 masks, 50 oxygen tubes and 25 oximeters, were donated by Scope Foundation. Dr Vivek is a native of Mandya district.

• The support from the foundation to Kodagu was made possible after  Chandramauli, a native of the district, contacted Dr Vivek’s father Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy. The foundation has also donated similar supplies across Karnataka, including Mandya.