Covid-19: Oxygen plants in every district to ensure adequate availability, PM Modi tweets

The announcement came as India is fighting a deadly wave of coronavirus which has been mostly attributed to a highly infectious double mutant strain and now a triple mutant variant has also been reported in some states prompting the authorities to strengthen resources for a bigger battle in future.

On Sunday, India reported nearly 3.5 lakh fresh infections and over 2,700 deaths in a new record high.

551 oxygen plants will be set up as a part of this move in government hospitals, an official statement read. "Oxygen plants in every district to ensure adequate oxygen availability... An important decision that will boost oxygen availability to hospitals and help people across the nation. (sic)," PM Modi said in a tweet.

Over 700 oxygen generation plants have been approved by the Prime Minister's Office, so far.

Amid SOS calls by hospitals over depleting liquid oxygen stocks needed to save the critically-ill Covid-19 patients, the PM said that these oxygen plants should be functional as soon as possible.

"The PM CARES Fund had earlier this year allocated Rs.201.58 crores for installation of additional 162 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants inside public health facilities in the country," the statement read.

"Such a system will go a long way in ensuring that Government hospitals in the districts do not face sudden disruption of oxygen supplies and have access to adequate uninterrupted oxygen supply to manage the COVID-19 patients and other patients needing such support," it added.

On Saturday, government informed that health cess and customs duty on the import of Covid-19 vaccines and medical oxygen have been waived for a period of three months.