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Ludhiana: Two oxygen units out of order, panel seeks report
The Punjab Human Rights Commission demands an explanation from Ludhiana's civil surgeon regarding two non-operational oxygen units affecting patient care.
The Punjab Human Rights Commission has asked the Ludhiana civil surgeon to explain why two of the three oxygen units at the civil hospital here have been non-operational. The order was issued after a local activist wrote to the commission complaining that the non-functionality of the two oxygen plants delayed treatment.
“It is submitted that out of the three oxygen plants, only one oxygen plant is working and the rest are non-operational. It is alleged that these oxygen plants are installed for the emergency like situation but non-functionality of the said plants can cause severe delay in patients’ treatment,” read the order.
The commission has asked the civil surgeon to report on the matter before the next hearing listed for October 31. “The commission, therefore, takes cognisance of the complaint. Accordingly, let the matter be put up before the Ludhiana civil surgeon who may look into the complaint and submit his report one week before the next date of hearing,” it said.
Following the recent deaths of three patients at the Jalandhar civil hospital due to low oxygen pressure, Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh, in a high-level meeting held on July 29, had directed the ivil surgeons to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply and reliable power backup in critical care units, such as ICUs, operation theatres and emergency wards.
The civil hospital in Ludhiana has two pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants, with capacities of 1,000 litres per minute (LPM) and 700 LPM, respectively, and one 10 kiloton liquid medical oxygen (LMO) tank.
Only the 1,000 LPM PSA plant is functional at the moment. The 700 LPM plant is facing technical problems with the screen that displays the purity level. The LMO tan has been lying defunct since 2022 due to licensing issues with the PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation), the authority responsible for approving the storage and handling of medical oxygen, which is considered hazardous if not properly regulated.
The PSAs basically suck in air, remove other components and concentrate oxygen level up to 95 per cent. The LMO tank stores 99 per cent pure liquid oxygen, which is sourced commercially.
Besides the plants and the tank, there are around 30 concentrators, which work like the plants but at a small scale, in the wards across the hospital and oxygen cylinders to supplement the need, according to the hospital authorities.
Civil Surgeon Dr Ramanpreet Kaur said the 700 LPM plant had maintenance problems and claimed that it was fixed and the plant would be made operational soon. On the LMO tank, she said it was installed during the second wave of Covid but then became inoperational due to licensing issues with the PESO. “The Punjab Health System Corporation is now working on resolving the issue and starting the tendering process to make it operational,” she added.
