The Department of Science and Technology (DST), with the backing of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), has sanctioned the manufacturing of oxygen concentrators from one in all its science incubators at IIT-Kanpur. The startup Indeema Fibres Pvt Ltd in Kanpur, together with its sister concern ChemDist Membrane Systems Pvt Ltd based mostly out of Pune, will roll out its first batch of 5,500 oxygen concentrators by May 25.
Over the previous yr, the startup has been engaged on lightweight oxygen concentrators for Indian Army troopers posted at excessive altitudes. “While we have been working on these concentrators for a year now, it really received momentum with escalating tensions with China. But when the oxygen shortage started escalating across the country, we decided to divert attention to making concentrators for Covid which requires 90 percent concentration – we had the technology and know-how, so we managed to do this in ten days,” Dr Sunil Dhole, one of many founders of the startup, mentioned.
The firm has been credited with making worldwide customary N-95 masks final yr, when the pandemic started. Partner Sandip Patil’s private battle triggered the change in the direction of oxygen concentrators — his mom was hospitalised with Covid-19 in March and spent weeks within the ICU at a hospital in Maharashtra’s Dhule district.
“This was at a time when the rush of Covid patients from the (second wave) had not yet begun, and the oxygen shortage hadn’t hit. Even then we knew, from my experience with my mother, that this will be an issue,” mentioned Patil.
On May 4, the beginning up obtained a go forward from the workplace of the Principal Scientific Advisor to start manufacturing. On the instructions of the PMO, they obtained their first order of 4,500 oxygen concentrators from ONGC’s CSR fund.
“But we will be sending out 5,500 concentrators in all since we have received some direct orders as well – 500 from the Telangana government, from Madhya Pradesh government, and several hospitals and corporates have also been in touch with us,” mentioned Dhole.
Dhole and Patil mentioned their concentrators are meant for Covid-19 sufferers whose oxygen saturation ranges have dipped to between 80 and 90 per cent.
The 5 LPM concentrators have been priced at Rs 55,000 whereas the ten LPM ones at Rs 65,000.
Currently the startup is importing a number of elements – as an example the oxygen molecular sieve from Germany and the pneumatic partitions from the US. But each Dhole and Patil say that they’ll quickly begin making these in India as properly.
“Once we can start manufacturing the raw materials in the country itself, the price will also become more affordable. The need of the hour is to evolve the technology indigenously and take care of people at home. Presently, 90 per cent of the concentrators are imported – and this poses a problem,” mentioned DST Secretary Ashutosh Sharma, who helped expedite the mission.
