BMC to donate oxygen generator, shredding machine to city hospital
The Brilliant Metal Craft (BMC) Hospital Systems announced on Friday that they will donate an oxygen generator worth P20 million to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
BMC Hospital Systems president Edward Dampor said the oxygen generator could fill up 50 oxygen cylinders per day.
“As soon as the new (CCMC) building will be finished, we will start installing the oxygen generator as well as the pipelines,” Dampor said.
BMC said they cannot yet install the oxygen generator at the temporary location of CCMC inside the Bureau of Fire Protection building because the equipment needs to be mounted in walls.
“It would cost another P20 million to install the oxygen generator into the new CCMC building,” he said.
The maintenance of the equipment, however, will be shouldered by the city government.
“It will only cost them P100,000 to P200,000 a month for filters and payment for the maintenance personnel,” he said.
Dampor said BMC can help train people from the city hospital but the maintenance materials should come from them.
He said hospitals should be educated on the proper use of oxygen.
“In some intensive care units, many patients die due to high concentration of oxygen which is obnoxious to health,” he said.
Dampor also said that some of the oxygen cylinders used in hospitals were already rusted due to moisture and contamination with water during the hydostatic test.
BMC will also donate a shredding machine for safe disposal of non-biodegradable waste materials.
“If thrown directly to landfills without being disinfected, it would contaminate and would be more dangerous to households,” Dampor said.
Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) president Rustico Jimenez said the shredding machine will minimize expenses for contracting waste collectors.
“The shredded materials can be used in construction as an alternative for sand and hollow blocks,” he said.
The shredding machine uses ultraviolet rays to kill microbes.
Legal Counsel of PHAPI Bu Castro said that the safety of the community should be prioritized.
“In some cases, oxygen concentration in incubators of babies can cause blindness. Sparks can also be a problem,” he said.
Castro also stated that the ideal concentration of oxygen is 90-96 percent however some hospitals go beyond the said limit.
“However, some hospitals are still using 99 percent of oxygen concentration in compressed tanks which is very toxic that can burn respiratory linings,” he added.
Visayas Community Medical Center medical director Eli Belarmino said oxygen should be free from impurities.
“Imagine if we inhale rust 24 hours per day, it will probably develop into allergic reactions,” he said.
BMC is planning to go global but its priority is to help the Philippines first. /UP Cebu Intern Mary Claire U. Catado
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