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| Audit Committee finds lacunas in Oxygen supply plants at GMC&H | | |  > ‘Leakage in supply line; shortage of staff, no mechanism in place to weigh cylinders’
> Health Deptt transfers 3 Medical Superintendents as damage control measure
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 30: The Audit Committee has found lacunas in the process of providing oxygen to the patients at Government Medical College Jammu.
The audit report in possession of Early Times has exposed the hospital management for its failure to plug the leakage in oxygen supply line due to which demand for the oxygen supply has increased and has also led to the patients facing tremendous hardships.
The audit committee was framed vide order no: 585 IND OF 2021 dated 27/04/2021 for conducting audit of condition of oxygen pipes in GMC Jammu associated hospitals and Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu. In this regard, the committee visited Medical complexes at Gandhi Nagar and Bakshi Nagar on 27/04/2021 and 28/04/2021.
The report has stated that the hospital has no technicians to handle these plants.
“The oxygen produced by the plant in GMC&H is getting wasted due to leakage in valves used for the supply line from plant to end points in the different wards. Weight of the oxygen cylinder is not being checked by the GMC&H staff. The committee recommended that with the help of the Legal Metrology Department a regular weight check of the O2 cylinder is required,” the report states.
“The committee also recommended additional trained manpower (health works) for monitoring of oxygen masks for patients,” the report states.
“It has been noticed, the patients in the wards were manning oxygen pressure on their own, as there are no staff members looking after patients administered with oxygen in wards.”,
The committee was constituted vide government order No: $8 -IND OF 2021 dated 27-o4-2O31 for conducting audit of condition of Oxygen pipes in GMC Jammu, Associated Hospitals and Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu.
The committee visited medical complexes at Gandhi Nagar and Bakshi Nagar and then submitted its report.
The committee was headed by the Director Industries and Commerce Jammu, Ms Anoo Malhotra and comprised eight other members has submitted. It has made following recommendations:
1. Keeping in view the upsurge in cases of Covid-19, it is recommended to increase inventory of cylinder capacity at all three facilities, Maternity Child Health (MCH) Hospital Gandhi Nagar (Designated Covid Hospital) Jammj, Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu and Government Medical College Jammu.
2. To avert any leakage in any oxygen tank in near future and to avoid any mishap, the committee recommends to adopt preventive and scheduled maintenance of the gas plants and piping network as a regular feature.
3. It has also been observed that at different locations of oxygen manifold, the changeover of cylinders is taking more due to shortage of skilled/technical staff. Therefore the committee recommends the engagement of more technical staff in the Due to shortage of COVID vaccine the people of age group 18-45 have to wait for further order, as the vaccine as per earlier scheduled of 1st May is not available.
“The registration for vaccination of eligible persons in the age group 18-45 has been opened on COWIN, the actual vaccination will not begin from May 1, 2021. It will begin from a date to be announced later once the vaccine supply is established”, Department Information and Public Relation said in a tweet.
Financial Commissioner, H&ME Deptt Atal Dullo could not be contacted despite repeated attempt for his comments.
4. It was also observed that the filled cylinders being supplied are not being checked for their weight. The committee recommends that the cylinders should be randomly checked before being installed in the presence of official from Legal and Metrology Department so as to verify the quantity/capacity of supplied cylinders.
5. Flooring of manifold area may be re-laic with RCC and rubber padding for handling of oxygen cylinders.
6. As mentioned above, the committee observed leakage in few knobs/valves. In view of this the committee recommends that thorough checking of all knobs/valves be performed to prevent any leakage of oxygen.
7. Keeping in view the present situation, it is recommended that the inventory/capacity of cylinders should be increased as soon as possible at all three facilities, Maternity Child Health (MCH) Hospital Gandhi Nagar (Designated Covid Hospital) Jammu, Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu and Government Medical College Jammu.
8. The committee also recommends that proper roaster should be prepared for regular maintenance of all equipment/machinery corresponding to the supply of oxygen to patients.
9. The committee strongly recommends that installation of 2200 LPM (Litres Per Minute) oxygen generation plant at Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar should be completed in shortest possible time.
10. The paramedical staff be trained in the handling of the knobs/valves to restrict wastage and be made aware of the shortage of cxygen supply. They should convey the same to their patients as well for judicious use of the Oxygen and handling of its equipments.
Meanwhile, Health and Medical Education Department today ordered transfers and posting of three medical superintendents. As per transfer order issued by the JKH&ME Dr. Manoj Chalotra, Medical Superintendent SMGS Hospital, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Medical Superintendent, Super Specialty Hospital, Jammu.
Dr. Dara Singh, Medical Superintendent, Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Medical Superintendent SMGS Hospital Jammu. Dr. A.D.S Manhas, Incharge Epidemiologist, presently posted as Programme Manager NHM and also holding the charge of State Surveillance Officer, is transferred and posted as Medical Superintendent, Government Medical College Hospital Jammu.
A source said that the transfers have been was a damage control exercise the Health and Medical Education Department (H&ME) has been left red faced due to leakage in oxygen plant at GMC&H. “The H&ME department has tried to divert the attention of government and the people from real issues by handing over the baton of GMC&H to Dr Manhas.”
He said, “Leakage in the oxygen plant that too during the prevailing COVID crisis is very unfortunate. The administration should have looked into it. The oxygen plant was made functional last year, but the department forgot to take care of it after the cases declined.” |
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