The Uttar Pradesh government has ramped up the availability of medical oxygen and 400 plants are going to get functional. The UP government claims that with 12 more plants getting functional in the last 4 days, UP has moved towards becoming self-reliant in O2 generation.

Ensuring adequate availability of medical oxygen, the state government on Friday announced that 400 oxygen plants have already been set up in Uttar Pradesh while work to get the other 155 plants functional is going on a war-footing.

In a proactive move to equip the state with medical oxygen, a total of 555 oxygen plants were sanctioned during the second Covid-19 wave, which was at its peak in April and May throughout India.

With as many as 12 plants becoming functional in the span of the last 4 days, the Uttar Pradesh government is working on a mission mode to ensure presence of all medical resources amid apprehensions of a third Covid-19 wave.

While reviewing the Covid-19 situation across the state in a high-level meeting with senior officials, the CM said “12 more oxygen plants have become functional in the last 4 days. The process of establishing the remaining under-construction plants should be completed in a time-bound manner.”

The oxygen plants are to be mandatory in hospitals of more than 50 beds capacity. The CM also directed the officials to assess the updated situation in this regard and take necessary action. Along with hospitals and medical colleges, oxygen plants are also being set up at the CHCs and the PHCs across the state.

As many as twenty five oxygen plants were already functional in the state before the government took the step of constructing more to ensure the availability of sufficient amounts of medical oxygen.

Besides the initiatives of the state government, the Centre has also approved the establishment of PSA medical oxygen plants with funding from PM Cares.

Keeping in mind the importance of medical liquid oxygen in the treatment of Covid patients, the State government is monitoring the implementation of these plants. Such facilities will help the state fight possible future waves of the Covid-19 pandemic.

To strengthen Covid Control Management and to connect youth with employment, around 372 government ITI trainees in Uttar Pradesh will be engaged in operation of Oxygen Plants in the state. The state government will also conduct special training sessions for paramedical staff and pharmacists preparing them to fight the pandemic’s possible third wave. With this initiative, the government will not only provide skill training to the local youth but will also give them employment opportunities.