A technical team of the federal government including Army engineers visited Pakistan Steel Mills on Tuesday to look into the possible operationalization of the oxygen plant to meet the national medical oxygen demand amid third wave of Covid-19, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Pakistan Steel Mills Chief Executive Brig Shuja Hassan is also chairing a meeting to review the possible use of the oxygen plant. 

Pakistan Army engineers, KB Ali of Engineering Development Board and Saad Alam of Pakistan Oxygen Pvt Ltd were part of the technical team that visited the Steel Mills.

The CEO of Pakistan Steel Mills said that with the efforts of the government the PSM will be able to restore the oxygen plant soon as the required machinery in the plant will be installed. He said Pakistan military engineers will also assist on the operationalization of the oxygen plant.

Separately, PIMS Hospital in Islamabad also faces oxygen shortage.

The TV channel reported the oxygen need in hospitals has increased from 3,000-5,000 tons to 9,000 tons of oxygen per day.

Patients were shifted to other hospitals from PIMS while the capacity of the PIMS oxygen cylinders is fixed at 10,000.

SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan also said that the NCOC is closely observing the national demand of medical oxygen and working on reviving the Steel Mills oxygen plant and possible other options as well.

Reporter Ashraf Khan