Assam’s healthcare gets a boost with oxygen plant at GMCH

GUWAHATI: Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of healthcare and agriculture, has strengthened Assam’s healthcare system by installing a 500 LPM (litres per minute) oxygen generation plant at the Cardiothoracic Neuroscience Centre of Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

The pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plant has the capacity to supply pure medical oxygen to 400 beds.

Assam health and family welfare minister Keshab Mahanta dedicated the plant to the people of the state on Wednesday.

Dedicated to enhancing healthcare facilities in rural and underserved areas of the country, Bayer had set up the oxygen plant in partnership with LabourNet as a part of its CSR initiative.

As part of this commitment, the enterprise has scaled the plant to support the CN Centre of GMCH, the largest tertiary care hospital with 2500 beds, catering to a population of over ten lakh people in Guwahati, as well as patients from neighbouring districts.

“The state government’s aim is to provide affordable healthcare to every citizen of Assam and is equipping state-run hospitals with modern critical equipment like oxygen plants to meet any future eventuality. I am happy that the health department’s efforts are being supported by companies like Bayer. I hope that more corporates will shift their focus to the North-Eastern part of the country,” Assam health minister Mahanta said.

“The government is taking every possible measure to strengthen the health care infrastructure in the state,” he said.

The plant will provide an adequate oxygen supply to meet the hospital’s demand, enabling it to provide high-quality healthcare services to the community.

The plant has been designed to cater to the high demand for medical-grade oxygen at the hospital.

With a capacity to generate, supply and store 93 to 95 per cent pure medical oxygen, the plant will provide oxygen supply to oxygenated beds, CCUs, ICUs and operation theatres.

The plant is primarily intended to support the 300-bed unit at the CN Centre in GMCH.

The plant, when operated for eight hours a day, can produce 2,02,500 litres of oxygen in a year, equivalent to 1800 oxygen cylinders.

The installation of the dedicated oxygen plant at GMCH is set to provide a consistent and reliable supply of oxygen, which is crucial for saving the lives of critically ill patients at the hospital.

As a regional centre for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, GMCH has been catering to patients not just from Guwahati but also from other parts of the state.

With the increased demand for medical care during the pandemic, the installation of the plant is a precautionary measure to ensure that patients requiring critical care have access to adequate oxygen support.

Speaking at the launch, Rachana Panda, vice-president, and country head- of communications, public affairs, sustainability & CSE, Bayer South Asia said, “Bayer has a long-standing reputation as a healthcare pioneer and is collaborating closely with multiple partners to enhance the public health infrastructure of the country.”

“As part of this endeavour, we are delighted to support the Assam government’s efforts to establish essential health infrastructure such as oxygen plants in public hospitals. The oxygen plant will also contribute to achieving the government’s objective of providing cost-effective and high-quality healthcare in rural and underserved areas,” he said.

Apart from GMCH in Assam, Bayer has also set up oxygen plants in the Sambalpur district of Odisha, Raichur district of Karnataka and Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh.

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