Amid reports of shortage of high flow medical oxygen supply in several COVID designated district hospitals, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has directed the health department to augment the oxygen capacity in these institutions.
As Kashmir continues to record increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the hospitals are struggling to meet the demand for medical oxygen, which is critical for the treatment of these patients.
According to sources, the health department of Kashmir has been intimated by the administration to ensure 100 dedicated beds with high flow oxygen for COVID patients in all designated COVID district hospitals.
“Shortage of oxygen supply equipped beds is one of the reasons for high
number of referrals from district hospitals,” a senior heath official said.
He said: “The divisional commissioner Kashmir has directed all deputy commissioners and chief medical officers to arrange and maintain high flow oxygen supply in dedicated COVID hospitals in the districts for at least 100 beds.”
Speaking to Greater Kashmir, director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Samir Mattoo said that the department has already augmented oxygen supply in district hospitals by providing additional oxygen concentrators.
“To further enhance the oxygen capacity in the district hospitals, the department is preparing a detailed project report for installation of a high flow oxygen manifold gas plant system,” he said.
He said the DPR will soon be submitted to the government.
Officials in health department informed that the estimate project cost of installation of high flow oxygen manifold plants in all district hospitals would comes around Rs 200 crore
The shortage of oxygen supply is even felt in main tertiary care hospitals in Kashmir. Many medicos have even appealed to the Mohalla Committees to collect money for procuring oxygen concentrators in case of emergencies.