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1,000 Jumbo O2 cylinders ordered from China 

20 May 2021

  • Pharmaceuticals State Min. to order 5K more 

By Pamodi Waravita 

  The State Ministry of the Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals has placed an initial order for the import of 1,000 jumbo oxygen cylinders from China, with plans in place to order 5,000 more in the near future.  “We have placed an order for 1,000 jumbo oxygen cylinders from China. We hope to receive the stock in stages, with 200 expected next week. There are plans in place to order another 5,000 jumbo oxygen cylinders as well,” sources from the State Ministry told The Morning yesterday (19).  According to officials, due to the Covid-19 crisis situation in the country, the amount of oxygen being used in provinces other than in the North and the East has increased to 27,000 litres per day, from the usual 22,000 litres a day. This oxygen is supplied through both jumbo oxygen cylinders and bulk oxygen storage tanks.  It is learnt that oxygen is produced in the country by four suppliers, two of which mainly supply to the health sector. Since the two companies produce about 78,000 litres of oxygen per day, and the present need of the health sector is 27,000 litres, a higher supply can also be obtained from them if the daily need increases.  Meanwhile, officials also told The Morning that 10 medical oxygen generators in the North and the East fulfil the oxygen demand for the health sector in those two Provinces. Thus, it is learnt that per day, approximately 50 to 60 jumbo oxygen cylinders can be produced from one of these generators.  Accordingly, there are plans to establish 14 medical oxygen generators in the Badulla and Nuwara Eliya Districts as well.


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