BENGALURU: Though some hospitals are trying to augment their medical oxygen supply, a majority are still banking on the government to provide them with liquid medical oxygen (LMO) should we witness yet another surge during the Covid-19 third wave.Two months ago, hospitals were asked to set up PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) oxygen plants or refilling plants on their own.
On the other hand, 1200 MT LMO was allocated to Karnataka after a court order but there has been a massive shortfall in the amount being sent daily.Barring two to three hospitals who are members of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), most of them have not built oxygen plants, as they believe it to be impractical.
According to Dr Rajasekhar Y L, secretary, PHANA, the capital investment is heavy -- Rs 60 lakh to Rs 70 lakh -- and the expense will get passed on to patients, thereby making healthcare unaffordable.“Small hospitals do not have the required place and power supply to build oxygen plants. They also cannot be the only source of oxygen. If they don’t function, we will need backup cylinders. We are not free from depending on the government for LMO,” said Dr Rajasekhar.
He pointed out that if there is a surge in demand, it is the duty of the state to step in. “They have to manage the logistics in advance, and activate nodal officer teams. Both the government and oxygen manufacturers need to tell us how much they will supply,” he added.
Acting on the government order, Raja Rajeshwari Medical College and Hospital (RRMCH) is building a PSA plant and increasing the capacity of their LMO tank. Though they are prepared, they are unsure of oxygen supply from the government and private manufacturing companies.
“PSA plants help small hospitals with 100 to 200 beds, providing 7 lakh to 8 lakh litres per day. But for a hospital like ours with 1,200 beds, at the peak of the second wave, we required 30 lakh litres per day, for which we relied on the government,” said Dr Naveen S, principal, RRMCH.
Though Suguna Hospital built a PSA plant before the government ordered it, the management is of the opinion that it can only be a backup, and “not the main source of oxygen”. “Moreover, sometimes not enough pressure is generated to pump oxygen from the PSA plant into the pipelines, during which time the LMO comes into play, automatically. Hence, it is better the government invests in cylinders and big oxygen manufacturing plants,” said Dr Ravindra R, MD of Suguna Hospital.
Admitting that the allocated amount of 1200 MT did not reach Karnataka during the second wave, Munish Moudgil, the nodal officer for oxygen, hoped that supply improves in future. “The government is not helpless. We have the authority to enforce and ensure the allocated oxygen,” he said, adding that they are ready to take action against those who fail to supply oxygen.Moudgil also said they have streamlined the indent management systems for hospitals to get oxygen by applying through the software, based on their patient load.