Soldiers from the Ministry of National Defence’s Air Defence - Air Force are in charge of two mobile oxygen-production stations on trucks that travel to HCM City hospitals that need oxygen cylinders. VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Khu

HCM CITY— Ministry of National Defence’s Air Defence - Air Force is using two container trucks as mobile oxygen-production stations to meet oxygen demand of hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in HCM City.    

The trucks are equipped with machines for oxygen production and a back-up generator. Each station can produce 40-60 oxygen cylinders with pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology.  

The stations have two drivers and four others in charge of producing oxygen. They travel to hospitals treating COVID-19 patients to provide oxygen in time.

The Air Defence - Air Force also has a A41 plant with three liquid oxygen production lines with a capacity of nearly 4,300 oxygen cylinders of 40 litres each.

On August 18, the plant’s 1,000 oxygen cylinders were sent to 12 field hospitals in the city.

The city Department of Information and Communications on August 26 launched the phone app Oxygen 247 to help COVID-19 patients and their relatives as well as health officials contact hospitals that have empty beds with oxygen cylinders and ventilators.

The app helps the Department of Health and the city Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to dispatch oxygen cylinders to hospitals facing a shortage.

The app is available on IOS and Android platforms. Its database is connected with the Department of Health’s management system which is updated frequently.  

Priority for oxygen, medicine

Speaking at a press meeting on August 26, Phan Công Bằng, deputy head of the city Department of Transport, said that vehicles transporting oxygen cylinders and medical equipment were being given priority for travel on the roads.

Lê Mạnh Hà of the city police said that vehicle drivers must have transportation contracts for equipment and medicine, and a business registration licence.  

People in the city who have an appointment for re-examinations or vaccinations are allowed to travel without a travel permission document.

The city police are not providing travel permission documents to charity organisations and individuals who want to provide meals and food to people in need because there is a risk of virus transmission.

They can contact the city’s special task teams who will help transport meals and food. — VNS