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Covid second wave: Task force urges govt to suspend routine work in hospitals that consume oxygen
They have also recommended introducing new treatment protocols to ensure that the liquid oxygen is optimally used
As the demand for oxygen in the medical sector has gone up due to the surge in Covid cases, the state task force has recommended that the government should issue guidelines to suspend all routine work in hospitals that consume oxygen. They have also recommended introducing new treatment protocols to ensure that the liquid oxygen is optimally used.
On April 1, when chief minister Uddhav Thackeray addressed the state to announce the 15 days curfew period, he mentioned the shortage of oxygen supply for medical purposes. He even requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to airlift oxygen with the help of the Indian Air Force from the neighbouring state to fulfil the needs of Maharashtra.
While Pune division needs 385 metric tons of oxygen daily with Pune district demanding a majority of the chunk, 300 tonnes of liquid oxygen. Pune district has only four liquid oxygen manufacturers three of which are located in Pune and one in Kolhapur and supply 383 tons of liquid oxygen. In addition to this, the district also gets 85 tonnes of liquid oxygen from Thane. However, with the rising number of cases, the oxygen demand has also gone up.
Dr Sanjay Patil, board chairperson, Indian Medical Association (IMA), said, “The routine procedures include major planned surgeries like hysterectomy and gynaecology surgeries which require oxygen for about two hours sometimes. However, currently, the routine planned surgeries are not happening anyways as there are no beds, and doctors are busy. So the question arises how effective would the guidelines be in today’s scenario.”
“The target to maintain 95 per cent oxygen saturation is acceptable, but it is always better to leave it to the treating doctor’s discretion depending on the patient’s underlying condition or even to maintain his/her condition,” he said.
Earlier too, during the September peak, additional secretary, ministry of health and family welfare, Arti Ahuja had written to the states that oxygen is a life-saving essential drug. The target oxygen saturation rate should be 94 per cent-95 per cent for the hospitalised Covid patient. Once this rate is achieved, the flow of oxygen may not be increased as it may not provide any additional benefit to the patient.
In addition to this, the task force also recommended that patients who stay long in ICU are undergoing repeated RT-PCR tests which delay their transfer out of ICU (intensive care unit). Some patients stay for 14 or even 21 days in ICU and so the task force recommended that no RT-PCR should be taken between 14 to 21 days and that it should not be mandatory pre-transfer from ICU. If the patient is stable and afebrile 72 hours before the planned transfer from ICU, no such test would be required. However, individual discretion has been advised.
