news details |
|
|
| GMC Jammu : Non-functional ventilators, old oxygen plant could lead to disaster in COVID times | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 11: Non functional ventilators dumped at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu amid COVID time have put a question mark on the efficiency of the people handling the affairs of the premiere health institution here.
According to the details available with Early Times the COVID dedicated isolation ward at GMC has 33 beds, out of which 24 are supported by the ventilators, while nine are normal beds.
A source said, “Only four beds have ventilator support at an isolation ward at SMGS hospital while other ventilators are non-functional due to insufficient oxygen supply.”
The source said that in the month of March this year the Intensive Care Unit and Critical Care Unit of the hospital were provided with 16 ventilators to manage COVID infected patients. Similarly, 33 non functional ventilators supported beds were set up at high dependency ward of GMC Jammu. “But these ventilators are yet to be made functional due to want for uninterrupted oxygen supply from the existing plant. Old existing oxygen plant provides 85% to 90 % oxygen saturation whereas, the newly purchased ventilators are high end require more than 97 to 99% oxygen saturation. There if we go by the figures GMC and AH Jammu have only 44 functional ventilators beds and 33 non functional ventilator supported beds at high dependency ward are waiting for oxygen plant to upgraded,” the source added.
He said, “In other case hospital authorities are left with two options to make the oxygen plant functional immediately or to distribute non-COVID ventilators, or by augmenting the ventilators by external oxygen cylinders.”
“Such augmentation will require nearly 8 to 12 oxygen cylinders per day and in case of average hospital stay of critically ill patient each ventilator shall require 168 external oxygen cylinders, which practically is not feasible as it will put huge burden on the exchequer,” the source added.
The source that the GMC Jammu has received as many as 156 ventilators in the recent months, in the month of March this year 48 ventilators were received that were adequately distributed and made functional. Another 109 ventilators were received in the month of May under centrally sponsored scheme for effective COVID management of critically sick patients. Out of these 109 non functional ventilators 33 could get identified space at high dependency ward but are still non-functional. Further 76 high end ventilators are gathering dust in stores of medical college as these could not be installed and made functional due to lack of space, beds, staff and nitrogen oxygen plant,” the source added.
He said, “This depicts the lackadaisical attitude of the Principal and Medical Superintendents who have failed to anticipate the importance of these ventilators in saving lives of critically ill patients.”
“The lives of the patients could be saved if they are provided with the ventilator supported beds,” the source said, adding, “At present there are 24 functional ventilators at GMC Jammu, 4 at SMGS, 16 at upgraded ICU or CCU and nearly 33 non-functional ventilators available at new constructed high dependency ward. Further, both in public and private healthcare institutions including ASCOMS (11 ventilators -3 invasive and 8 non-invasive have been made available for general public in Jammu. These are far less to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. Further, inspite of ordered enhanced capacity more than 60% of beds identified at GMC Jammu are without support of central oxygen supply. Presently total beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients for their management are 200 in GMCH, 110 beds at CD and TB hospital, 70 at Psychiatry hospital, 60 at SMGS and 165 beds at Maternity hospital at Gandinagar. The existing oxygen plant capacity at GMCH is 1200LPM, 500LPM at SMGS and 300LPM at Maternity Hospital Gandinagar. Both CD and TB hospital and Psychiatry Hospital do not have their own oxygen plants, which actually need 1500LPM and 500LPM plant to suffice the existing need of oxygen for COVID patients. As per the report submitted by the Medical College Authorities to Govt prepared comprehensively by the respective Medical Superintendents of GMC & AH, GMCH actually require total of 4800LPM, SSH requires 1000LPM, and SMGS require 3000LPM and Maternity hospital requires 1000LPM total oxygen plant capacity to meet current enhanced oxygen demand by COVID patients coming in different hospitals for treatment of COVID meeting national standards.”
Sources said that to meet this additional oxygen requirement nearly 400 to 500 external portable oxygen cylinders are being purchased from the open market. “Purchasing oxygen cylinders from open market reflects the exigency as the demand has not been put forward to JKMSCL that is the competent authority for any purchase of high end machinery and equipment,” they added.
Sources said, “It is very unfortunate that GMC Jammu authorities remained in deep slumber and failed to anticipate the alarming situation, which has led to surge in the COVID-19 cases in Jammu.”
They said, “If we see the current of COVID cases being reported, Jammu is heading towards COVID disaster and GMC Jammu is not yet prepared to deal with it in terms of space, manpower and functional ventilators. The Oxygen Plant has not been upgraded to make all non-functional ventilators functional.”
“It seems that Health and Medical Education, GMC Jammu is quite late and has not anticipated the importance of having additional Oxygen Plant at GMC and AH to meet COVID exigency where main treatment is timely supply of humidified oxygen to one and all symptomatic patients who are moderately or critically sick,” sources added.
They said, “Administrative Department vide their letter vide HD/Plan/29/2020 dated 14-08-2020 and vide Govt order had directed the concerned to constitute a committee vide no 605/JK(HME) OF 2020 to finalise the DPR of the additional Oxygen Plant requirement at GMC Jammu, but GMC authorities failed to project the dearth of oxygen plant requirement.”
Sources that after facing public and administrative pressure the authorities have sent the DPR for approval vide his letter dated 31.08.2020, with estimated cost of Rs 2150 lakh for GMC & AH. “It might take time to complete follow all the codal formalities and make these plants functional at GMC Jammu which might take 5 to 6 months by that time COVID can inflict its maximum damage in the Jammu region, “ they said.
Sources said that the former GMC Principal had already accorded permission to upgrade the Oxygen Plant during her tenure. “It’s strange that the incumbent Principal and other hospital authorities failed to anticipate the need and get the work done on time, had they got the work initiated by then principal the crisis could have been averted,” they added.
“Process for additional oxygen plant is going on, DPR has been finalized, meanwhile we have arranged liquor rental system to overcome the crisis of oxygen”, said Dr Dara Singh Medical Superintendent, GMCH Jammu, adding that the hospital has sufficient number of ventilators.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
