How oxygen is supplied to hospitals in Delhi | Economic Times

There are two models:1. A hospital has pre-negotiated tie-ups with bottling plants that supply oxygen cylinders — Type D with 7200-litre capacity.2. The supplier sends filled cylinders to the hospitals and picks up empty cylinders for refilling. Suppliers send tankers with oxygen to the hospital, where the tank is filled and it feeds the central supply line. The problem:Unprecedented demandThe government has mapped every hospital to two sources of supplyRaw material to oxygen generating plants are shortTrucks carrying oxygen cylinders are stopped at borders curtailing and delaying inter-state movementWhat hospitals have to do?Hospitals are mapped to two sources of oxygen. Even before cylinders are exhausted, a hospital sends out a truck with empty cylinders to the bottling plant. The truck queues up and even if the hospital is mapped to the supplier, it can draw a blank as the supplier says he has not got oxygen from the oxygen generating plant. Hospitals report that even when they send cylinders for refill, it sometimes takes two days to return If hospitals scout their own supply, the trucks never get to cross the borders as states say whatever is produced stays inside the district.SOS systemDelhi government has an SOS system where hospitals send urgent messages when they run out of oxygen. Hospitals complain this system barely gives them supplies like 3-4 cylinders or half a tank full at one go.The solutionHospitals need to set up oxygen generation plants in their premises to reduce dependence on outside suppliers. The government would have to ensure the supply chain comes together.