Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Aug 22: At a time when the Government is mulling to set up oxygen plants at all the major hospitals in the Valley, the oxygen plant at the district hospital Kulgam remains a non-starter even after five years of setting up of the facility at the health centre.
In absence of the facility, the patients with respiratory ailments and pneumonia are being referred to territory care hospital for want of high flow oxygen supply. The doctors said the referrals put an extra burden on the territory care hospitals which are already overwhelmed with the COVID 19 patients. “The doctors at these hospitals are already grappling with huge patient flow and referrals are only adding to the burden,” a doctor said.
The doctors in the hospital told Excelsior that the plant that could have ensured 48- oxygen-outlet points in the hospital is lying defunct since it was set up in the hospital. Three years ago, doctors said, the plant was put to trial but no headways have been made since then.
“Worse, the hospital is yet to hire the technical manpower to run the plant even after the five months of the outbreak of pandemic”, the doctors informed.
The non-functional oxygen plant has also affected the overall functioning of the hospital as the administration is unable to make use of a new building which was inaugurated a decade ago. “The most unfortunate thing is that we are unable to shift the medical wards, surgical wards, casualty and other wards to the new buildings in absence of the facility,” another doctor said, adding that the new building would serve no purpose unless the oxygen plant is put to use.
Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Muzafar Ahmad, confirmed that the plant was not operating but maintained that they have enough stock of oxygen concentrators to deal with the current patient flow.
“The government has provided us with a bulk stock of oxygen concentrators. There is no deficiency in the hospital,” he said adding that the facility is likely to be made operational soon.
Asked why the facility was non-functional, he said: “We have to install a servo in the plant. There is no electricity connection in the plant. The technician which was brought here from Jammu to fix the technical issues turned COVID 19 positive. He is undergoing treatment at SKIMS. We are waiting for his recovery,” he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
