DRDO to set up 500 Medical Oxygen Plants within 3 months under PM CARES Fund

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will set up 500 Medical Oxygen Plants within 3 months under PM CARES Fund. The Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) technology developed by DRDO for on‐Board Oxygen Generation for LCA, Tejas will now help in fighting the current crisis of Oxygen for the COVID-19 patients amid the second deadly wave. The Oxygen plant is designed for a capacity of 1000 litres per minute. 

Taking it to Twitter Defence Minister Rajnath Singh appreciated DRDO for using the MOP technology to generate much-needed oxygen for COVID-19 patients which will help in overcoming the present crisis.

According to the DRDO's press release, the system will cater for 190 patients at a flow rate of 5 LPM and can charge 195 cylinders per day.

"Transfer of Technology has been done to M/s Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Bengaluru and M/s Trident Pneumatics Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore, who will be producing 380 plants for installation across the country's various hospitals.  Around 120 plants of 500 litres per minute capacity will be produced by industries working with the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, belonging to CSIR," read the release.

The installation of this plant will help in avoiding hospital dependency on scarce oxygen cylinders especially at high altitude and inaccessible remote areas. MOP  has already been installed at some of the Army sites in the North East and Leh-Ladakh Region. 

MOP Technology 

Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) technology is capable of generating oxygen with 93±3% concentration which can be directly supplied to hospital beds or can be used to fill medical oxygen cylinders. This technology will be useful to provide oxygen supply during Corona Pandemic in hospitals in urban and rural areas. Hospitals will be able to generate on-site medical oxygen, in a cost-effective manner with this oxygen plant rather than depending upon sourcing it from other places. Oxygen is a very important clinical gas in health care centres and hospitals for the treatment of COVID‐19 Patients.

The plant complies with International Standards like ISO 1008, European, US and Indian Pharmacopeia. Site preparation for 5 plants to be installed in Delhi/NCR region has already been initiated. 

COVID cases in India

As per Union Health Ministry, India reported 3,60,960 new COVID-19 cases, 3293 deaths and 2,61,162 discharges. In the last 24 hours:

• Total cases: 1,79,97,267
• Total recoveries: 1,48,17,371
• Death toll: 2,01,187
• Active cases: 29,78,709
• Total vaccination: 14,78,27,367

(Image Credits: PTI)