RNS I Rourkela: The augmented ICU ventilator facilities for treatment of COVID patients at Ispat Post Graduate Institute (IPGI) and Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) in SAIL Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) was dedicated by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel virtually on Thursday.
Faggan Singh Kulaste, Union Minister of State for Steel was also present on the occasion. The IPGI and SSH Complex was dedicated to the nation by the President of India on 21st March, this year.
To tide over the surge in the COVID cases, as per the instructions of the Hon’ble Minister of PNG & Steel, it was decided to upgrade the facility to a 100-bedded ICU for covid care and treatment at SSH.
Accordingly, ventilators were procured by SAIL, RSP on a war footing and installed in the hospital. The virtual event was also attended by the Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste, Odisha Health Minister Naba Kisore Das, MP from Sundargarh Jual Oram, MLAs from the area, Chairman SAIL Soma Mondal, and senior officers of the Ministry of Steel and SAIL.
Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said that patients from different places in and around Rourkela as well as neighboring states had started availing the OPD facilities at SSH.
Keeping in view the steep rise in the number of critically ill COVID patients in the region during the 2nd wave of the pandemic and realizing the urgent need of oxygenation and assisted ventilation, it was decided to operate a 60 bedded COVID ICU facility.
Subsequently, it was decided to upgrade the facility to a 100-bedded ICU. The Minister said that this upgraded ICU facility is a significant addition to the healthcare infra in the region and will bolster Odisha’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that domestic steel companies have been putting their might to combat the deadly Covid pandemic, both in Odisha as well as nationally.
Pradhan said that SAIL has taken a slew of measures to contribute to Odisha’s fight against the pandemic. Rourkela Steel Plant set up a Virology Laboratory at its IGH in April-2020, which enabled quick Covid testing.
The capacity of the testing facilities for RT-PCR has been enhanced from the initial levels and work is in progress to increase it further.
Pradhan said that ensuring availability of masks and consumables like medicines, regular & massive sanitization in Plant & Township and other commensurate measures including use of PA system for creating awareness has also been taken.
He said that a concerted effort by all stakeholders of the society to fight the COVID-19 pandemic is the need of the hour.
Calling for stepping up efforts towards testing, treating and vaccination, Pradhan urged SAIL to take up vaccination of its stakeholders.
“Since April’21, RSP has been constantly supplying the life-saving LMO which is dispatched from RSP to various states of the country including Odisha. Extra thrust has been given on ramping up production and dispatch of liquid medical oxygen from the RSP,” added Pradhan.
Internal use of gaseous oxygen in the plant has been rationalized and necessary systemic modifications have been made to ensure round-the-clock dispatch of liquid medical oxygen from the plant, he said.
Pradhan expressed happiness that as per the direction of the Prime Minister, RSP is in the process of setting up a jumbo 500 bedded hospital with piped gaseous oxygen supply directly from the plant with ventilators and other associated facilities.
