Health Dept ramps up Covid preparedness, but gaps remain

As the region witnesses a rise in Covid cases, the Health Department has intensified its preparedness efforts, but still gaps in infrastructure promptness have emerged. A pressure swing absorption (PSA) oxygen generation plant at the Indri Community Health Centre (CHC), set up during the 2021 pandemic through the PM Cares Fund, has been lying defunct for several months. Of six PSA oxygen plants established across the district — two at the District Civil Hospital and one each at the CHCs in Indri, Nilokheri, Gharaunda, and Assandh — five were found functional during a recent mock drill conducted by the Health Department. However, of these five, three are currently not being optimally utilised due to the low requirement of oxygen at these centres owing to less patient load. However, these centres have oxygen concentrators and cylinders to meet the daily oxygen requirement, said a health official, adding that only two plants were actively supplying oxygen. “These plants are needed during a heavy patient load. Since, there is currently no patient load requiring oxygen in the CHCs, running the plants seems unviable due to heavy electricity bills incurred in running them,” said a senior doctor. The Indri plant, with a capacity of 300 litres per minute (LPM), has remained non-functional due to a technical issue. “We have asked the concerned service engineers and the manufacturer to provide technical support and make the Indri plant functional at the earliest,” said Dr Naresh Kardwal, Deputy Civil Surgeon. The other plants include Nilokheri (250 LPM), Gharaunda and Assandh (600 LPM each), and two at the District Civil Hospital — one with a capacity of 200 LPM and another, installed under PM Cares, with 1,000 LPM. “We are prepared for Covid. In case of an emergency, the Civil Hospital currently has 23 ventilators in use across the ICU, emergency, and operating theatres, 18 BiPAP machines; and 461 oxygen concentrators being used in various health institutions across the district. We have around 800 oxygen cylinders, both large and small,” Dr Kardwal said. “We have checked all oxygen pipelines and cylinders, and all are in good condition,” he said, adding that, “We have also checked the operational readiness of all oxygen plants and will activate them as per patient load. Mock drills were conducted on May 31 and earlier in April as well.” State of oxygen plants Of the six oxygen plants established across Karnal district — two at the District Civil Hospital and one each at the CHCs in Indri, Nilokheri, Gharaunda, and Assandh — five were found functional during a recent mock drill conducted by the Health Department. However, of these five, three are not being optimally utilised. The Indri plant has remained non-functional.

Haryana Tribune