New Delhi, May 19 (IANS): Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday inspected the newly installed Oxygen Plant and progress of construction of new Covid blocks at Safdarjung Hospital here.During this visit, the Union Health minister has reviewed the Covid preparedness of the hospital during the meeting held with doctors of Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.

Vardhan reviewed the functioning of the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant facility which has been established in a record time. This is third plant to be installed at the Central Government hospital in the national capital, after Dr RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College. The one metric ton capacity plant has been built by DRDO with assistance from the PM-CARES fund.

The Minister noted that the country has expeditiously arranged for oxygen plants for treatment of the severe cases of Covid that need hospitalisation. "Safdarjung Hospital will soon be equipped with another plant of two metric tons capacity, which further enhancing this capacity. Similarly, 1051 plants are in the process of being established with the help of DRDO, CSIR and HITEC all over the country," he said.He also visited the under construction new Covid block, being built with the help of CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CSIR-CBRI), Roorkee and examined the progress work.

He instructed the team to complete this block at earliest.Vardhan also advised people about Covid complications being seen across the country due to indiscriminate breach of treatment protocols.AHe observed, "People are taking heavy doses of steroids even when they have not turned hypoxic. Steroids are to be provided only when a patient is hypoxic, to be administered in small doses to prevent side effects and not more than a few days at a stretch. Recommendations of a doctor is must for the use of these medicines."A