Centre approves 2 PSA oxygen plants in Arunachal

ITANAGAR, 24 May: The union health & family welfare ministry has approved the setting up of two pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants in Arunachal.

The plants would be set by the DRDO at Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) in Naharlagun near here, and Tenga in West Kameng district, under the PM Cares Fund, official sources said here on Monday.

“In a big boost to Arunachal’s fight against #CoronaPandemic, @MoHFW_INDIA has approved for setting up of PSA oxygen plants at TRIHMS, Naharlagun & Tenga in West Kameng district to be setup by @DRDO_India under #PMCaresFund. This will help augment oxygen supply for covid patients,” Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted.

The northeastern state on Saturday received a consignment of 150 oxygen concentrators from the World Health Organization (WHO) with a capacity of upto 8 litres per minute.

Health Minister Alo Libang received the consignment in the presence of Principal Health Secretary Dr Sharat Chauhan and other officers of the department.

“The @WHO is supporting India in filling critical gaps in the availability of Oxygen. To help Arunachal deal with the #CoronaPandemic, the WHO provided 150 oxygen concentrators for the State, which was received by Health Minister @libang_alo,” Khandu said in another tweet.

Libang informed that portable oxygen concentrators would be distributed to remote hospitals of various districts in the state.

“More oxygen generator plants are to be established in various districts and state capital under PM Cares Fund and also with the help of other NGOs,” Libang said, adding that the state government is taking all steps to ensure adequate oxygen supply in the state.

“We are preparing ourselves to fight the virus. We have now more than 300 oxygen beds and we plan to have 500 at the dedicated Covid hospital in Chimpu, besides more ICU beds,” the minister added. (PTI)