AMU gets third high-capacity Oxygen Generation Plant

Aligarh : Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor inaugurated the third high-capacity Oxygen Generation Plant capable of producing 1000 litres of oxygen per minute at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) on Wednesday. The plant to cater to around 200 patients at a time is the second consecutive installation done with the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES).

The first oxygen plant was set up at JNMC in June this year through a generous largesse from AMU Chancellor, His Holiness, Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin and munificent contributions from the AMU alumni.

“The new plant will supply oxygen to the Covid Ward Main ICU Operation theatre complex, while the plants installed earlier will provide oxygen to the respiratory ICU, paediatric ward and ICU, medicine ward, pulmonology ward, coronary care unit, CCU and other areas,” said the Vice Chancellor.

Prof Mansoor pointed out: “It is important to be swift in planning response measures and be better prepared if a third wave is to strike—to avoid heavy tolls on lives and livelihoods. We are taking an extremely cautious approach by keeping medical infrastructure ready”.

“With these three oxygen plants, JNMC now has a capacity of producing around 3000 litres of oxygen per minute at a time,” said Prof Rakesh Bhargava (Dean, Faculty of Medicine).

Prof Shahid Ali Siddiqui (Principal, JNMC) emphasised: “With the ramped-up facilities, the third Covid wave, if it occurs will be well handled. Hospitals across the country have learnt lessons from the devastating second wave”.

Prof Haris M Khan (Medical Superintendent) stressed that medical oxygen has become an important commodity in the fight against the Covid pandemic and with the commissioning of these plants; the oxygenated bed capacity of JNMC has been greatly enhanced.

“JNMC is now sufficiently equipped to deal with oxygen requirement in case of a third Covid wave. Besides these three state-of-art oxygen generation plants, JNMC also has an abundant supply of Liquid Medical Oxygen”, said Dr Obaid A Siddiqui (Nodal Officer, Oxygen Gas Plant).

Prof Mohd Rihan (MIC, Electricity Department) and all JNMC deputy medical superintendents attended the inauguration.