Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: An expert committee has given several recommendations to the Government to ensure a robust oxygen delivery system in Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar and Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Hospital Gandhi Nagar.
The committee constituted vide Government Order Number 585-IND of 2021 dated 27-04-2021 for conducting audit of condition of Oxygen pipes in GMC Jammu, its Associated Hospitals and Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar visited Medical complexes at Gandhi Nagar and Bakshi Nagar in Jammu on April 27 and 28 and submitted its report to Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce (I&C) Department, Jammu today.
The committee was chaired by Director I&C Jammu Anoo Malhotra and comprised of Amit Vermani (Joint Director, I&C Jammu), Dr Sarbjeet Singh (HoD Mechanical Engineering, GCET Jammu), Dr Ankush Anand (Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, SMVDU), Dr Rakesh Singhai (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Jammu), Saksham Gupta and Himanshu Khajuria (Industrial Promotion Officers, Directorate of I&C Jammu), Rohit Sangral (Industrial Promotion Officer, District Industries Centre, Jammu) and Sachin Sharma (Block Investigator, District Industries Centre, Kathua) as members.
It was observed by the committee that the MCH Hospital Gandhi Nagar (Designated Covid Hospital) has an inventory of 1000 cylinders including a fully functional oxygen manifold of capacity of 10 x 10 cylinders (each of capacity 7 cubic metre) and one additional oxygen manifold of 8 x 8 cylinders kept on ‘stand by’ while Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar has fully functional manifold of capacity 10 x 10 cylinders and an additional 2200 LPM oxygen generation plant is under installation.
The committee further observed that GMC Jammu has an inventory of 3000 cylinders including a fully functional 1200 LPM oxygen generation plant, a fully functional oxygen manifold of capacity 6 x 6 cylinders, two manifolds of capacity 10 x 10 cylinders for Covid-19 specific CCUs/HDU and Isolation Ward, and 3 manifolds of capacity of 10 x 10 cylinders for Covid-19 specific wards.
Based on their observations and keeping in view the upsurge in cases of Covid-19, the committee recommended the authorities concerned to increase inventory of cylinder capacity at all the three facilities viz. GMC Jammu, MCH Hospital Gandhi Nagar and Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar.
Observing that at different locations of oxygen manifold, the changeover of cylinders was taking more time due to shortage of skilled/technical staff, the committee recommended engagement of more technical staff in the interest of patient care. It also recommended that paramedical staff be trained in the handling of the knobs/valves to restrict wastage and they be made aware of the shortage of oxygen supply.
As the committee also observed leakage in few knobs/valves in GMC Jammu, it recommended that thorough checking of all knobs/valves be performed to prevent any leakage of oxygen. Further to avert any leakage in any oxygen tank in near future and to avoid any mishap, the committee recommended adoption of preventive and scheduled maintenance of the Gas plants and piping network as a regular feature.
While observing that the filled cylinders being supplied were not being checked for their weight, the committee recommended that the cylinders should be randomly checked before being installed in the presence of official from Legal and Metrology Department so as to verify the quantity/capacity of supplied cylinders.
The recommendation was also made regarding preparation of proper roaster for regular maintenance of all equipment/machinery corresponding to the supply of oxygen to patients. Besides, the committee strongly recommended that installation of 2200 LPM oxygen generation plant at Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar should be completed in shortest possible time.
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