Bhubaneswar: The health and family welfare department has decided to install liquid oxygen plant at the Capital Hospital to facilitate smooth supply of the gas to patients through pipelines from a centralised system.

At present, only private and corporate hospitals have the facilities. After introduction of a similar facility, the Capital Hospital will become the first state-run hospital of Odisha to have the centralised oxygen plant.

"A committee has been formed to look after the modalities for installation of the plant at the hospital. We will prepare the report and submit it to the government for approval. After the cost and other things are fixed, we will go for the installation," said Capital Hospital director Chitta Ranjan Das.

As of now, the hospital uses ordinary oxygen cylinders. During emergencies, nurses have to run around with the cylinders from one ward to another to supply oxygen to the patients. According to records, about 200 patients need oxygen on a daily basis and are being catered with the general oxygen cylinders.

"It will not only improve the health care infrastructure of the hospital, but also cater to a greater benefit of the patients. It is a very noble move of the government to think of providing such a life-saving facility at the hospital. I hope it will be installed shortly," said Jagruti Nayak, a patient attendant at the hospital.

Sources said that after the Capital Hospital, the state government would replicate installation of similar plants at other district headquarters hospitals. "The committee will give a brief report on the installation and its impact at the government hospitals. We are going to implement it in larger manner in later phases," said a health department official.

Besides Capital Hospital, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences is in the process of introducing the facility. "The work on the plant is completed. The laying of the pipeline is under process. It will be over by March next year," said AIIMS sub-dean Prabhash Ranjan Mishra.