PM CARES fund to buy 1.5 lacs Oxycare system of DRDO

Oxycare system

• The PM CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund has sanctioned the procurement of 1.5 lakh units of the Oxycare system, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), at a cost of ?322.5 crore.
• Separately, a four lakh litre capacity oxygen production plant supplied by Germany started functioning at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID Hospital set up by the DRDO in the national capital while naval ships continued to bring in emergency supplies from friendly foreign countries.
• The Oxycare system was developed by Defence Bio-Engineering and Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL), Bengaluru, of the DRDO for soldiers posted at extreme high-altitude areas.
• The Oxycare system delivers supplemental oxygen based on the SpO2 levels and prevents the person from sinking into a state of hypoxia.
• The automatic system also provided audio warnings for various failure scenarios.
• The robust ‘Oxycare’ system, which has been developed can be used for COVID care centers and at home also.
• The DRDO had transferred the technology to multiple industries, which would be producing the Oxycare system, it added.

Supplies from West Asia

• As part of operation ‘Samudra Setu II’, launched by the Navy, INS Tarkash arrived at Mumbai with two Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) filled (20 MT [metric tonne] each) cryogenic containers and 230 oxygen cylinders.
• The oxygen containers were facilitated by the French Mission as part of the “Oxygen Solidarity Bridge” and oxygen cylinders were gifted by the Indian diaspora in Qatar,” the Navy said.
• INS Kochi and INS Tabar reached the New Mangalore Port carrying 100 MT LMO in five containers and 1,200 oxygen cylinders from Kuwait.

What is medical oxygen?

• The air we breathe is a mix of several gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
• The term ‘medical oxygen’ means high-purity oxygen, which is used for medical treatments and developed for use in the human body.
• The medical oxygen cylinders actually contain highly pure oxygen gas.
• To get medical oxygen, a person requires a prescription.
• To prevent contamination, no other types of gases are allowed in the cylinder.

How different is it from industrial oxygen?

• Oxygen is also used in industries for combustion, oxidation, cutting and chemical reactions.
• The difference is that purity levels of industrial oxygen are not appropriate for human use.
• There can be impurities, which can make people ill.
• Medical oxygen cylinders should also be free of contaminants.
• The cylinders need to be thoroughly cleaned before use.

Uses of medical oxygen

• Medical oxygen is generally administered in medical facilities, such as hospitals and clinics.
• It is used as first aid resuscitation for emergencies, during anaesthesia, life support for patients, who can’t breathe on their own, and oxygen therapy.
• Athletes also use medical oxygen at high altitudes or training.