«KARPATNAFTOCHIM» is ready to supply medical oxygen to the hospitals of the region, though the issue of medicine delivery still requires the solution
One of the most important preconditions of fight with virus infection COVID-19, that currently swept the whole planet as well as our Ukraine, is the availability of medical oxygen in the hospitals.
As it was already more than once mentioned on the columns of the newspaper «Naftohimik -Kalush» and at its site, Company «KARPATNAFTOCHIM» is the producer of liquid oxygen, which previously was used only for the industrial needs of the Company. However in soviet times and in the first years of independent Ukraine, it was successfully used in the medical institutions and in particular in the hospital of Kalush, located in the residential area Pidgirky. And when new producers of this medication appeared, the demand for oxygen of Kalush enterprise was becoming less and less. Eventually the terms of market were also changed, and that is why Kalush chemists suspended its realization as the medicine.
But the situation has sharply changed with spreading of coronavirus, when existent in Ukraine producers of medical oxygen could not secure with it the hospitals in a full scope and in some regions became a huge deficit of this medicine, which is vitally needed for ill people. And then in the Ministry of Health and in other state institutions was recalled about the Unit of oxygen output at «KARPATNAFTOCHIM» Ltd. But no matter how much Kalush chemists wished this, they could not instantly resume the delivery of this product to the medical institutions.
– The essence is, – tells Yarema Rudyk, General Director Deputy of «KARPATNAFTOCHIM» Ltd., that though our oxygen by all its indicators corresponds to the required norms, for its use as medicine we had to fulfill certain organizational and legal requirements.
Firstly it was necessary to get the license for production of liquid oxygen, as medicine. In accordance with existing norms it needed registration as medication. And as it turned out this process was really durable and laborious. Everything is not so simple. With the aim of these entire requirements fulfillment, we employed a pharmacist, provided the analyses of our products and required information about the equipment, as well as about the place of production and performed a number of other measures.
In total according to methodical recommendations the registration process lasted nearly 120 calendar days. But already today I’d like to inform that this procedure is completed and the enterprise can provide the hospitals of our region with this really critical medical preparation at the time being.
– Has everything been solved regarding this issue?
– Everything what applies to our enterprise has been solved. But for entire completion of this process the issue of logistics must be solved, it means the delivery of liquid oxygen from«KARPATNAFTOCHIM» to medical institutions. A special auto transport is necessary for this action, and we don’t have it. This issue should be solved by the management of hospitals together with local authorities.
Hereby I’d like to inform you that in November 16 was hold the meeting under the chairmanship of Eugene Ferbey, deputy of governor of Ivano-Frankivsk State Administration, and with participation of management of health protection, as well as management of our enterprise and representatives of other structures of regional state administration, where we informed that we are ready to supply a liquid oxygen to medical institutions of our region and stressed the point of the necessity of all issues solution, regarding its delivery.
– And how was this application accepted?
– For authorities of the region it was good news, but it needs a lot of efforts from the department of health protection, connected with oxygen delivery and its transfer to the medical institutions. And here are, so to say, certain nuances.
Actually on medical oxygen, as well as for any other products exists the market, which is mainly occupied. Such enterprises of West Ukraine, as Lviv chemical plant, «Cryogen-Service» and «Sector Gasa» provided with oxygen medical institutions. There are identical enterprises in other regions of Ukraine. When these companies became to be specialized on the production of oxygen, they formed their system, according to which oxygen was supplied to the hospitals. In those institutions they also had their facilities for filling of oxygen and for storing it for a certain time. That is why we should together with medical institutions deliberate how to act, because it’s obviously the conflict of interests between us and those producers and suppliers that had worked earlier and have their own equipment in the hospitals; and it’s clear that we cannot discharge our oxygen into their facilities.
– And what is a way out of situation, because in spite of all these issues, there is not enough oxygen in the hospitals?
– For our Kalush Central Hospital this issue has recently been solved. One month ago «KARPATNAFTOCHIM» purchased for this hospital the cryogen oxygen station with capacity of more than three thousand litres that will give the chance to provide with oxygen the department of the hospital uninterrupted within 4-5 days.
As it was mentioned on the meeting at RSA, similar own oxygen units are in the hospitals of Rozhnyativ and Gorodenka that will also allow to supply our oxygen there after solution of the issue of its delivery.
– What amount of oxygen for medical requirements can be produced at the Unit of «KARPATNAFTOCHIM»?
– Currently in the vessels of air separation unit we have reserve of liquid oxygen in the amount of 92 tons. We increased its production since the time of process of license and all required permits obtaining. Regarding the amount of liquid oxygen output, this is in average four tons per day. But this figure may be changed depending upon the necessity of nitrogen output –one more product of the Unit, which is used for maintaining the equipment of the plants in a proper technological condition. These products are produced simultaneously and technology of the Unit permits to decrease or to increase the output of one or another type.
According to the information of Mykhaylo Kyzymyshyn, a chief of the division of air separation, who together with specialists of technical department of the enterprise personally participated in the solution of all issues, connected with renewal of medical oxygen output, in average without impact on the industrial processes, the Unit can produce 160-180 tones oxygen per month.
– Whom do you plan to deliver medical oxygen of Kalush production and on which terms it will be provided?
– It’s clear that first of all to the hospital in Pidgirky, which currently needs till two thousand tones of oxygen per day. And in general the need of our region in medical oxygen constitutes more than 400 tones per month. Of course we cannot provide all institutions with oxygen. And preferentially we will supply oxygen to those hospitals of Ivano-Frankivsk region, where the issue of discharging and storing of this product will be solved.
What concerns the issue of liquid oxygen supply, which in price is more when twice lower from this one, which is at present sold on the market; I’d like to mention that currently by the management of the enterprise and its founders is considered the issue of its charitable supply to the medical institutions of Precarpathian. In case of positive result, we will make this through one of the charitable foundation, with which we’ll conclude a corresponding Agreement.
Was recorded by
Anatoly Getmanchuk.
On the photo: workers of Air Separation Unit, ready for shipment of liquid oxygen to the medical institutions of Precarpathian.
