Guwahati : The corona outbreak in India has increased very fast. There is a shortage of hospitals and oxygen across the country. Liquid oxygen is produced at few places in Maharashtra. Such as in Taloja, Pune and Nagpur. There is a queue of empty tankers outside these factories to fill oxygen. It takes three hours to fill a tanker. Liquid oxygen is flammable so it cannot be transported after 10 p.m. At the same time, their tankers have to ply at a speed of 40 kmph. It is a matter of great happiness for us at this moment that defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed SPO 2 (Blood Oxygen Saturation) Supplementary Oxygen Distribution System for soldiers deployed in high altitude areas. In view of the shortage of oxygen across the country, The Defence Research and Development Institute (DRDO) has developed a new system of oxygen distribution for soldiers and covid patients. DRDO said that this automatic system based on SPO2 level protects people from entering hypoxia by supplying supplementary oxygen. It is fatal in many cases.
Hypoxia is a condition where the amount of oxygen reaches the tissues. This prevents the body from meeting other energy needs. He said this is exactly the same condition as the corona caused by a virus infection in the patient. He said that even in covid-19 patients, the SPO2 level falls to 94 per cent. In this case, they are asked to consult a doctor and be admitted to the hospital at the earliest. DrDO issued a statement saying, “This automatic system supplies supplementary oxygen based on SPO2 (blood oxygen saturation) level and prevents the person from reaching the state of hypoxia which is fatal in most cases. Hypoxia is a condition in which the amount of oxygen reaching tissues decreases in terms of meeting the energy needs of the body. According to the statement, this is exactly the case with corona patients due to virus infection, which is why the current crisis is taking place.
Therefore, the supplementary oxygen delivery system is very useful not only for Indian soldiers deployed in high hilly areas but also for the country in this crisis of corona epidemic. Developed by DRDO’s Bengaluru-based Defence Bio-Engineering and Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL), the system has been developed indigenously for operations in ground conditions. It has two qualities, one is very strong and the other is cheaper. It has been designed to work in high mountain areas with low pressure, low temperature and humidity. The system reads the SPO2 levels of the subject from the wrist-clad pulse oximeter module through wireless interface and controls the proportional sonalika valve to regulate oxygen supply to the subject. Oxygen is given from a light portable oxygen cylinder through nose nose nass.
The system is available in different sizes weighing one litre and one kilogram with 150 litres of oxygen supply with 1,500 litres of oxygen supply weighing 10 litres and 10 kg which can sustain up to 750 minutes with continuous flow of two litres per minute (LPM). Since this system has been developed indigenously for operation in the conditions of the region, it is unique with its dual qualities of being strong and cheap and is already in wholesale production with industry. Automatic use makes a huge profit at home, as the oximeter will give alarm for lower SPO 2 price. It will automatically increase/decrease o2 flow based on SPO2 settingwhich can be adjusted to auto at 2, 5, 7, 10 l pm flow rate. Optimal O2 flow rate protects O2 resources/O2 management and greatly increases endurance. With its availability and simple to use the facility by a common man, the system will greatly reduce the workload and risk time of doctors and paramedics to monitor spo2 levels of the patient, a senior official of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has said.
Automatic calibrated variable flow control for low O2 levels (user pre-set, <90%, <80%) The economy will be facilitated with oxygen supply (1-10 1p m ±05L) through a calibrated flow control valve (PFCV). A medium covid patient needs 10 litres/150 times-10 kg-1500 litres of old medium O2 supply which can last for 750 minutes. It is now available easy to use automatic, oxygen delivery system especially at these critical times when medical resources are extended to their limits. Its spread will reduce the crisis in managing such a large number of Covid-19 patients across the country in many ways.