JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Government is continuing efforts for augmenting oxygen supply in hospitals to meet the requirements in wake of rising number of cases and a large number of oxygen plants have been installed.
Oxygen generation plants are under installation in many hospitals across Jammu province apart from recently commissioned. In view of rise in demand and augmentation of capacities, authorities have started a comprehensive audit of oxygen requirement, supplies and availability capacities to ensure continued augmented supply.
Presently, sufficient oxygen supply is made available to all hospitals.
The official spokesman said that the audit of oxygen infrastructure will cover a host of parameters aimed at planned augmentation and strengthening of infrastructure.
He said that Hospital management, Mechanical Engineering Department, Legal Metrology and concerned nodal officers have started the joint audit to assess the status and future requirements.
Secretary Tribal Affairs and in-charge Covid-19 containment efforts in Jammu province, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary informed that there has been massive augmentation of oxygen infrastructure in recent time and further steps are underway for augmentation of oxygen supply. “Government has sanctioned 15000 LPM capacity Oxygen Generation Plants for Government Medical College Jammu and its Associated Hospitals against which 6100 LPM capacity plants have been commissioned in the last two weeks and further LOI has been issued for 2500 LPM capacity plants while efforts are on for remaining capacity. This is in addition to oxygen cylinders and concentrators installed by the government,” said Dr Choudhary.
He said that likewise, in Samba, Rajouri and Reasi oxygen generation plants of capacity 1200LPM, 3000LPM and 1200 LPM have been approved by the government against which, installation of 1000 LPM each has been commissioned last week and further steps to augment the infrastructure are underway.
In Doda, installation of 750LPM plant is underway and additional capacity of 2250LPM will be augmented; in Kishtwar LOI has been issued for 1500 LPM capacity while Ramban installation of 1000 LPM plant has been initiated and LOI issued for another 500 LPM plant.
He added that in District Kathua a 2250 LPM Oxygen Generation Plant has been installed at the Government whereas LOI has been issued for installation of 2 oxygen plants at Poonch and Mandi, of 2200 LPM and 200 LPM respectively. In Udhampur 1000 LPM plant is under installation and LOI has been issued for another 2000 LPM. Chief Engineer MED Naresh Khajuria along with technical team are making all efforts for timely commission of oxygen generation plants under installation and other plants for which tendering process has been completed and LOI issued.
Dr Shahid informed that oxygen audit will help to peg the requirement at maximum bed capacity of hospitals, corresponding oxygen supply needed, availability of oxygen generation plants and oxygen cylinders / concentrators, need for further capacity building as well as contact monitoring to ensure regular and timely supply in health institutions. Controller Legal Metrology Jammu has been deputed to assess the quality and quantify supply for ensuring that standards are maintained. District teams of legal metrology have been assigned to assist mechanical engineering and hospital management teams in this regard.
The oxygen war room working under supervision of Director Industries and Commerce, Jammu, Anu Malhotra is operating round the clock to ensure minimising turn around of cylinder refill and rushing the supplies to all hospitals with equal focus on hospitals in far flung areas. The Industries department is making all efforts to have required and additional stocks of cylinders in place. Presently sufficed supply is being ensured. (AGENCY)
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