Major hospitals across south Kashmir are short of basic oxygen supplying devices required for treatment of patients with respiratory ailments.
Onnormal days, the patients are asked to purchase the items on their own fromopen market or hospitals including Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag,reuse the devices after sterilization.
However, World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines strictlyemphasize on discarding used masks by doctors, health workers and patients toprevent spread of coronavirus infection.
A senior doctor said with the threat of coronavirus loominglarge and lockdown in place, there was fear that the hospitals would soon bewithout these “basis oxygen flow system” including nasal prong, simple faceoxygen mask, non- breather mask, venture mask and mask with bag reservoir.
He said, the nasal prong or cannula, used to deliver oxygento a patient in need of respiratory help till six liter, costs barely Rs 70 inopen market.
The doctor said if the patient requires supply up to 10liter, then a simple oxygen mask is put to use which costs Rs 90. He said a non-breather mask costs Rs 140.
“In severe cases, when the patient does not respond, thedoctors put to use Venturi or the venti mask which, delivers known oxygenconcentration to patients on controlled oxygen therapy at much higher rates,”the doctor explained. It approximately costs Rs 150.
A mask with a bag reservoircosts Rs 150 approximately which is used in extreme cases.
The doctor said the basic low oxygen flow system is aprerequisite before putting respiratory failure patient on life support system orventilator.
However, a health official said administration at the GMCAnantnag and district hospitals of Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian were yet toprocure these basic devices, putting a question mark on the claims ofgovernment in dealing with the pandemic.
The situation in other district hospitals in north andcentral Kashmir is not different.
Principal Medical College Anantnag, Dr Showkat Jeelani saidthey already placed the order for “many things.”
“We have received some stock,” he said.
Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Sameer Matoo, however,said they have sufficient stock of the basic devices required for patients withrespiratory ailments in every hospital.
“We are placing order for procuring more such items,” hesaid.