KHOTANG, AUGUST 9

The oxygen plant set up at District Hospital, Khotang, has come into operation. The oxygen plant was established with the financial assistance of Rs 15 million from Province 1 government.

Biomedical technician at the hospital Ushadevi Shrestha informed that the plant produces 20 to 25 cylinders of oxygen every day. Moon Rocks International Pvt had installed the plant, according to chief of District Coordination Committee San Bahadur Rai, also the chief of hospital operation and management committee.

The oxygen produced by the plant is provided free to patients admitted to the hospital while Rs 15 is charged per kg to private hospitals, he added.

Earlier, the hospital had to reach as far as Biratnagar to purchase oxygen cylinders, said Chief of District Hospital Dr Nitu Lama. 'We are now self-reliant on oxygen. It has eased our work,' she said.

It is said the hospital will be supplied oxygen through pipeline when the number of beds reach 50. It is being filled in cylinders now. The hospital, established in 1992, is being upgraded to a 50-bed facility with support of the federal government. It has 15 beds at present. However, there is wide criticism of the use of 'non-standard truss' by the company in the oxygen plant.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 10, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.