UMP JSC Supplies Oxygen to Ust-Kamenogorsk Hospitals for Treatment of Patients with COVID-19

Ulba Metallurgical Plant cooperates with three medical Ust-Kamenogorsk»s institutions, where hospitals for treatment of patients with COVID-19 operate. UMP JSC Nitrogen-Hydrogen-Oxygen Station produces medical liquid oxygen which is supplied for refueling to oxygen stations of hospitals.

Special car with a tank filled at Ulba Metallurgical Plant drives up to oxygen station of the hospital. Pumping oxygen takes less time and does not require special physical strength. For comparison, earlier hospitals were engaged in transportation and installation of hundreds of 70-kilogram gas cylinders. This has significantly improved quality of medical care. After all, the reducers allow to adjust oxygen supply as needed.

At each of hospital stations, liquid oxygen, passing through cryogenic evaporator on an oxygen ramp, passes into gaseous one and goes directly along the lines to patients who need oxygen support. Due to this, seriously ill patients with COVID-19 have constant access to high-quality medical oxygen.

Recently, the need for oxygen has increased tenfold, and a large number of serious patients constantly need it. For example, average daily oxygen demand of patients of City Hospital No. 1 is 350-500 kg-for 40 people and Hospital No. 4 – 2 tons per day.

Therefore, since the beginning of 2021, UMP JSC Nitrogen-Hydrogen-Oxygen Station has increased the supply of liquid oxygen to hospitals in Ust-Kamenogorsk by 10 times compared to 2020. Last year, 40 tons were delivered, volume of deliveries this year exceeds 400 tons. Only in August, 100 tons were produced.

Konstantin Sofishchenko, Deputy Manager-NHOS Technologist:

– Production technology of our oxygen directly depends on temperature of surrounding air. The higher it is on the street, the lower the productivity. But we try not to slow down, understanding how our oxygen is needed by patients. NHOS operates 24/7. We have suspended all other orders, we work only for medical institutions. Time will tell how the situation with COVID-19 will develop further, but citizens can be sure: Ulba Metallurgical Plant will continue to supply oxygen to hospitals, saving people's lives.

• Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC is one of the world's recognized producers of Uranium, Beryllium, Tantalum and Niobium products for the needs of nuclear energy, electronics, metallurgical industry and other fields of activity. The company is a part of National Nuclear Company Kazatomprom.

• NAC Kazatomprom JSC is a world leader in mining of natural Uranium and national operator in the Republic of Kazakhstan for import and export of Uranium, rare metals and nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants. Kazatomprom group of companies includes 37 enterprises that employ more than 20,000 people. The assets include the entire complex of enterprises involved in production chain of final products – from geological exploration, Uranium mining, production of nuclear fuel cycle products to science, social security and personnel training.