Oxygen Plant at Faridabad Civil Hospital non-operational for six months

Faridabad: The oxygen production plant at Badshah Khan (BK) Civil Hospital, which has been out of service for approximately six months, has raised significant concerns among healthcare officials and patients. Despite boasting state-of-the-art in-house production capacity, the hospital has been compelled to source oxygen from external suppliers due to the plant's non-operational status. 

Sources within the health department revealed that the 200-bed hospital, one of the largest government healthcare facilities in the state, has encountered difficulties in oxygen supply since the 1,000 litres per minute (LPM) oxygen plant ceased production last year due to technical issues. While authorities have initiated efforts to address the matter, the plant remains inactive, creating a crisis of oxygen in the hospital. 

According to The Tribune, one of the employees stated, "The purity level of oxygen, which should be 92 per cent or above, has been much lower due to issues related to damaged parts or the upkeep of the machinery." Although the plant possesses the capability for oxygen production, sources allege that substandard or low purity levels render the oxygen unusable for medical purposes. Improper distillation processes have resulted in elevated impurity levels, rendering the gas unfit for patient care. Notably, the plant was established under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. 

However, the absence of an annual maintenance contract (AMC) with the responsible company or agency has hindered timely repairs. The estimated cost of the AMC was approximately Rs 5 lakh. Consequently, the plant's malfunction has also contributed to the poor upkeep of flow meters and oxygen supply points throughout the hospital, with many units lying non-functional, reports the Daily.

Despite these challenges, Dr Savita Yadav, Principal Medical Officer (PMO) of the civil hospital, reassured that there is no shortage of oxygen supply within the facility. Dr Yadav stated that the hospital procures 40 to 50 Type-D cylinders of gas from external sources each month, a solution deemed more economically viable. Additionally, oxygen is sourced from another in-house plant with a capacity of 200 LPM, albeit without a piped supply. The decision regarding the AMC lies with the authorities at the head office, according to Dr Yadav. The BK Civil Hospital, which caters to over 2,200 outpatients and nearly 100 emergency cases daily, emphasizes the critical need for operational oxygen infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted healthcare delivery.

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