NASHIK: While Nashik district needs 138 metric tons of oxygen, at present, only 85 metric tons of oxygen is available to the district. District Collector Suraj Mandhare has clarified that there is a shortage of 53 metric tons. “We have also increased the availability of 18 metric tons of oxygen through the oxygen concentrator machines ordered from Nagar and Aurangabad districts.
However, hospitals are using excess oxygen, and they need to control it. So that proper planning can be done for the oxygen received by the district,” said District Collector Suraj Mandhare. On Thursday, due to the shortage of oxygen in some hospitals in the city, they had sent a message to the district administration that the patients undergoing treatment at these hospitals should be shifted to another place.
After that, District Collector Mandhare immediately called a meeting of oxygen suppliers and gave information in a press conference reviewing the availability of oxygen. At present, 7,000 patients are on oxygen beds. The oxygen demand is increasing as the number of patients is increasing. While 138 metric tons of oxygen is required, the government has fixed a quota of 85 metric tons for the district. Oxygen supply to industries has been completely cut off due to a shortage of oxygen.
Oxygen is being supplied only to medical-related pharma companies. Efforts are being made to get oxygen by contacting other districts. However, in some private hospitals, it is observed that oxygen is being used more than the guideline. While 20 liters of oxygen per hour is the norm for one patient, in some hospitals the rate has gone up to 100 to 150 liters. It has been observed that some hospitals are using more oxygen than the bed capacity, Mandhare said.
Today’s situation is not to blame, but hospitals need to check their functioning. It is important to check that oxygen is not leaking, that oxygen is not being applied when it is not needed. Everyone should get oxygen. But we will have to provide oxygen with proper planning within the current quota, he added.
Meet with IMA doctors
On the backdrop of oxygen shortage, doctors of private hospitals and officials of the Indian Medical Association met the District Collector on Thursday. Considering the shortage of oxygen, private hospitals should provide oxygen to the patients as per the government’s instructions. District Collector Mandhare instructed the IMA doctors to use the available oxygen properly and sparingly. Oxygen needs to be given according to the nature of the patient. Corona’s new strain requires patients to take in extra oxygen. In the future, if oxygen is not supplied as per the demand, the situation will get out of hand, the doctors feared.
Private hospitals are increasing bed capacity as Covid patients are on the rise. Therefore, we pointed out to the district administration that the oxygen demand has also increased. The District Collector also acknowledged this fact. – Dr. Ramakant Patil
Given the situation of oxygen shortage, we have full support from the district administration. As we do not want needy patients to face the shortage, we tie-up with other hospitals having surplus stock and order oxygen cylinders. We are shutting off oxygen in hospitals where it is not needed and using it for needy patients. – Dr. Dnyaneshwar Thorat
After discussions with the District Collector, we are setting up a task force for private hospitals. We will also do rationing on oxygen quota so that everyone can work together on the shortage of oxygen. We will also check for oxygen leakage and other unnecessary uses. We have the cooperation of the district administration. – Dr. Hemant Sonanis, President, IMA Nashik
