According to a report published by India Today, the workers in Visakhapatnam have designed an innovative ‘Portable Multi-feed Oxygen Manifold (MOM)’ using a six-way radial header fitted to a single cylinder.
This adaptation would enable one oxygen cylinder to supply six patients concurrently.
The report describes how the entire set up ‘was made operational by the manufacture of a fine adjustment reducer and specific adapters’ that connect the oxygen cylinder and the portable MOM.
It’s thought that existing facilities and the traditional mode of one cylinder supply per patient would not be enough to cope with the anticipated demand if the pandemic spreads across India as feared.
At the time of writing, India has just under 5,000 cases and 137 fatalities according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
This has risen in recent days despite the country known to have been on a strict nationwide lockdown since 24thMarch as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed all state governments to ensure a smooth and hassle-free supply of medical oxygen across the country as its confirmed cases of Covid-19 continue to rise.
Report: India focusing on smooth oxygen delivery
It’s understood that preliminary trials of the adapted cylinder assembly were conducted at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam, followed by rapid trials at the Naval Hospital INHS Kalyani where the portable MOM was successfully set up within 30 minutes.