Kalay town facing severe oxygen shortage as self-help oxygen plant cannot run at full capacity

Although the local residents in Kalay town of Sagaing Region set up an oxygen plant under a self-help scheme, the production rate still cannot meet the requirements, local residents stressed.
This oxygen generator plant was located at Mingyi Hotel with a generous contribution of K140 million. It started to run in the first week of July.
“Oxygen shortage is happening. The oxygen plant can fill only 40 cylinders (40L). There is also one oxygen generator in Kalay General Hospital. This plant can also produce 30 cylinders (40L). The government also provided one oxygen generator plant and it is reported to run soon. The local people have ordered another oxygen generator to ramp up the production and this oxygen plant will be built in the compound of Tat Oo monastery,” said U Htay Aung, secretary of Kalay town council.
Earlier, the current self-help oxygen plant was expected to generate oxygen for 78 cylinders (40L). Due to the shortage of volunteers, the plant cannot run at its full capacity. It operates only 16 hours (6 am to 8 pm) for now.
The severe oxygen shortage prompted the local people to take orders from Yangon and Mandalay cities. The devastating oxygen shortage is a crisis for now,” he said.
Next, Kalay town Sitagu Hospital made an initial donation of K50 million to build the oxygen plant at the hospital.
The town’s civil service organizations and other philanthropical organizations are striving to deal with the oxygen shortage. Kalay General Hospital is providing treatment to the COVID-19 patients.
There are 1,855 COVID-19 positive cases, with 1,577 recovered, 278 under treatment and 84 died, Kalay District General Administration Department stated.
The COVID-19 cases are daily rising in Kalay town and over 20 people died per day, said a local resident. —Lu Lay/GNLM