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| COVID-19: Alleged oxygen cylinder scam surfaces at GMC Jammu | | Hospital procuring 900 industrial oxygen cylinders daily for 80 to 90 critical patients | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 9: Amidst the COVID-19 times, alleged oxygen cylinder scam has come to fore at the Government Medical College Jammu.
According to the details available with Early Times, helmsmen at the GMC Jammu have allegedly created artificial scarcity of the oxygen. “It has been done to inflate the demand of oxygen cylinders. Astonishingly, the authorities are procuring industrial oxygen and not the medical oxygen to save the lives of the people,” sources said.
They said that on the request of GMC Jammu on 20.7.2020, JKMSCL invited E-bid on emergency basis for finalization of rate contract for supply of Medical Oxygen Cylinder for the uninterrupted supply of Oxygen for COVID patients at GMC Jammu amid spike in COVID-19 cases in the Jammu region.
“But the expert committee of JKMSCL on 19.9.2020 rejected the bidders on the basis of abnormal rate offered by the bidders, for supplying Medical Oxygen Cylinder type B and D by their order dated 19.9.2020,” they said.
Sources revealed that the GMC Jammu is claiming that around 800 to 900 industrial oxygen cylinders are consumed daily and same number of cylinders are kept as buffer. “The consumption was nearly 350 to 400 cylinders daily for last 4 months and in mid August it suddenly increased to 900 per day,” sources added.
According to the details of the patients which are provided everyday there are nearly 80 to 90 critically ill patients admitted at GMC Jammu and they need oxygen support. “Surprisingly the GMC administration claims that 900 oxygen cylinders are used everyday it means on average one patient consumes 10 cylinders in 24-hours. The figures being provided by the GMC administration are inflated as its impossible that a patient needs 10-cylinders in a day,” sources added.
They said that despite Central Purchase Committee Govt order, GMC Jammu created artificial scarcity of oxygen cylinders amid COVID-19. “Purchasing industrial oxygen cylinders cannot be justified. This practice has caused huge loss to the exchequer,” sources added.
They said, “In April 2019 the ex-principal GMC Jammu had proposed the project namely SITC of Electro- Mechanical Equipment's for proposed centralised medical gas pipelines of oxygen and vacuum outlet points for the existing Ward No. 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14 and 15 of GMCH Jammu, with estimated cost of Rs 475 lakh, which was approved by the Government under languishing projects in the 6th meeting of high powered committee convened on 25th Feb, 2019 for funding under JKIDFC. The Detail Project Report with estimated cost was prepared by the Chief Engineer Mechanical Engineering Department Jammu was submitted to Government for post facto accord of administrative approval. But the project is still in limbo.”
Rejecting the allegations, a senior official of GMC, said that the Engineering wing has created four dedicated lines to supply round the clock oxygen in the four COVID-19 patient wards. “To provide round the clock supply, consumption of oxygen has increased”, the official said.
On the allegation about industrial oxygen cylinders being used, the official said that the liquid oxygen supply is the proper oxygen supply in hospitals but due to emergency situations, the arrangements have been made and oxygen cylinders have been used.
He said that for liquid oxygen supply the Lieutenant Governor has already passed instructions and the process for the same has already been initiated and probably by end of this month, the liquid oxygen would be supplied in the hospital. |
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