India’s First IOT-Enabled Mobile Medical Oxygen Plant Launched In Bangalore | TheHealthSite.com

Written By Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : October 20, 2022 10:45 AM IST

Global humanitarian leader and peacemaker Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Wednesday flagged off an IoT-enabled Containerized Oxygen Generator Truck as part of the launch of national Medical Oxygen Grid project at The Art of Living International Center in Bangalore. It is claimed to be India's first IoT-enabled mobile medical oxygen plant. Along with it, a cylinder filling station was also inaugurated.

The Medical Oxygen Grid project aims to increase availability of medical oxygen in the country and make last mile delivery in rural areas possible by creating a robust mechanism for captive source of oxygen generation, cylinder filling stations and a functional distribution network.

Speaking at the launch, Gurudev said that this low-cost solution will enhance the supply of affordable medical-grade oxygen in both rural and urban India. He added that Art of Living will fully support the initiative.

The demand for medical oxygen increased suddenly throughout the nation during the second phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the concept of National Medical Oxygen Grid was envisioned not because of the pandemic, said Mallikarjun Dandinawar, founder of OxyAid, adding that it is intended to stop the migration of patients from villages to cities.

"Creating of this National Medical Oxygen Grid is an exercise of laying a strong foundation of rural healthcare infrastructure with the basic premise of arresting the migration of patients from villages to cities. This will ensure accountability, skilling and empowerment of our government hospitals by leveraging IOT technology," he stated.

Through this project, OxyAid is determined to address the five main challenges facing India when it comes to medical oxygen: availability, accessibility, affordability, accountability and infrastructure.

In government hospitals, oxygen is available to a patient at Rs 60 per hour. The cost is 3-5 times more in private hospitals. "The project will work on a cross subsidising mechanism to ensure free Oxygen to the needy," the company said.

Deploying IoT in oxygen generation plants will ensure correct volume, purity, pressure, and duration of operation. This will help prevent pilferage of oxygen in government hospitals, it added.