NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is setting up a ‘common cylinder pool’ in each district to ensure timely medical oxygen availability to Covid patients recuperating in home isolation. The pool will also be used to meet the emergency needs of hospitals.
The transport department has identified Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus depots in all 11 districts, which will serve as the hubs where 20 oxygen cylinders each will be available initially. Also, the health and family welfare department on Sunday ordered to augment the capacity of district magistrates (DMs) for management of oxygen cylinder circulation.
The DM concerned will be responsible for judicious use of the cylinders through distribution among Covid patients in home isolation and hospitals having urgent requirement of oxygen, said the order issued by the transport department on Tuesday. It said that the filled cylinders will be provided in lieu of empty ones, after approval of the DM concerned.
The common pool will be boosted phase-wise with more cylinders obtained through procurement, donations as well as those seized during the raids by authorities. “Initially 20 filled cylinders are being given to each district which will be issued (exchanged) in lieu of empty cylinders after approval from the DM,” the order read.
The department has appointed depot manager as nodal persons to ensure coordination. Instructions have also been issued for judicious use of these cylinders. Also, the district magistrates have been authorised to create a buffer stock of 10 per cent cylinders to meet any SOS calls.
The DTC has already deployed its buses to ferry oxygen cylinders to hospitals having emergency requirements. Two depots of DTC are providing buses for carrying medical oxygen cylinders being demanded by hospitals in emergency situations, said a DTC officer.