Imphal: The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal has cancelled all the routine operations from May 1 due to a shortage of oxygen.
“Due to acute shortage of Oxygen and in view of the increasing number of Covid-19 patients in the hospital, routine operations of all departments of RIMS shall be cancelled with effect from 1st May, 2021 until further order,” said a statement by Prof H Priyosakhi Devi, Medical Superintendent i/c, RIMS Hospital, Imphal on Friday.
Last week, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had claimed that there was enough stock of medical oxygen in the State. He said that the State currently has 1098 D-Type cylinders, 242 Oxygen Concentrator Machines, and 90 Ventilators.
In addition to the existing three oxygen generating units, the state government had given permission for oxygen production to Shija Hospitals as well, he added.
Prof A Santa, RIMS director, earlier said that Manipur’s top medical college had already started to produce D- type oxygen (in Jumbo cylinders) since April 24 onwards.
Each Jumbo cylinder contains around 7,000 litres of oxygen and according to Santa, RIMS was producing enough oxygen daily from the atmosphere to fill up 40-50 such jumbo cylinders with the help of five PSA (Pressure swing absorption) oxygen generator plants, installed recently to deal with any medical emergency in the landlocked state. “Each of these five generators can produce around 10 jumbo cylinders daily,” he said.
“Many experts, including director AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), have appreciated our initiatives,” professor Santa said proudly. With agency inputs
