"We have reported to the cabinet that the demand for oxygen has increased very rapidly from 400 tons per day. Now it has increased to almost two thousand tons per day," Sadikin informed at an online press conference on Friday after attending a limited meeting chaired by President Joko Widodo.
To meet the rising oxygen demand, the Health Ministry is utilizing excess oxygen capacity from domestic factories or industries, the minister said.
This effort is being carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, he added.
There is an excess of 240 to 250 tons of oxygen per day from the domestic industry that can be used for COVID-19 patients, Sadikin said.
The ministry is also trying to optimize the strategy for using oxygen concentrators, he added.
"This (oxygen concentrator) is a small device that only requires electricity. We can install it at home or on a hospital bed to supply oxygen with a capacity of 10 liters or 5 liters per minute. This concentrator is sufficient to meet the oxygen needs in the isolation room," he said.
The government is planning to buy around 20 thousand to 30 thousand oxygen concentrators, which could provide around 600 tons of oxygen per day to hospitals treating COVID-19 patients, the Health Minister disclosed.
"The government plans to buy around 20 thousand - 30 thousand oxygen concentrators, which can provide around 600 tons of oxygen per day to hospitals. And, we can lend them to people in need," he remarked. (
Related news: Govt, private firms unify efforts to fulfill oxygen demands: President
Related news: Industry Ministry to convert 80% industrial oxygen for medical use
Translator: Indra Arief Pribadi, Katriana
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
