Sirsi: Open space next to Pandit General Hospital, Sirsi, has been selected for setting up of oxygen manufacturing unit under the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Funds (PMDRF).

The unit has the capacity to produce 390 litres of liquid oxygen per minute. The Union government has allocated Rs 84 lakh for setting up the unit.

Technical experts and other officials visited the site on Saturday and made an inspection.

In the second phase of the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Funds, 30 taluk headquarters in the State have been granted funds to set up oxygen manufacturing units, and Sirsi is one among the 30 taluks to get this facility.

Yet to start

In the first phase, Yellapur Taluk Hospital was provided with a similar unit in October.

However, the 100 litres of liquid oxygen-producing unit per minute is so far not functioning, though the medical requirements have been provided.

District In-charge Minister Shivaram Hebbar said oxygen supply to patients is one of the key requirements to treat a Covid-19 patient. The Union government is making all-out efforts to make each hospital self-sufficient. In this regard the Sirsi Unit will soon start functioning, he said.

He said the Yellapur unit will soon start functioning.