MARGAO
Hazard a guess why the South Goa district hospital or the ESI hospital did not face the oxygen-related issues a la the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.
The reasons could be many, but one cannot ignore the fact that oxygen trolleys carrying cylinders from the filling plants to the district hospital were all being escorted by the men-in-uniform, to rule out delays in transportation of life-saving oxygen because of traffic congestion, etc.
South Goa district hospital officials claim that the hospital has not faced the oxygen-related problem because of close coordination between the hospital officials and the district administration and the measures put in place to streamline the oxygen supply.
In fact, an official said the district hospital had put in place a host of measures to meet the oxygen requirement for both the district hospital and the ESI hospital even before these two hospitals could play host to 100 patients.
Senior district officials in private also admitted the key role played by the district Collector, Ruchika Katyal and Jyoti Kumari and deputy Collector John Fernandes, who all coordinated with the hospital officials to ensure there’s no shortage of oxygen to the patients.
“Even when the number of patients admitted in the district hospital did not cross the 100-figure mark, we coordinated with the district Collector, Ruchika Katyal and deputy Collector, Jyoti Kumari to put a system in place to ensure there’s no oxygen shortage even when the hospital is full to its capacity with patients,” remarked district hospital nodal officer Dr Rajesh Patil.
Since then, a system was put in place to streamline the supply and transportation of oxygen cylinders. “The district authorities decided that all the trolleys will get a police escort from the filling point at Verna to the district hospital. Government staff was also posted at the oxygen filling plant to ensure there’s no delay in filling up the cylinders. At the district hospital, we had engineers and ground staff to take care of emergencies,” Dr Patil said.
Besides, deputy Collector Jyoti Kumari and deputy Collector John Fernandes were given a clear brief to ensure that they ensure that the cylinders come on time from the Cuncolim industrial estate and the tanker goes to Kolhapur and Bellary on time to procure the liquid oxygen for the district hospital.
“Since South Goa has the liquid oxygen supply facility with an inbuilt tank, the hospital relies on both liquid oxygen and trolleys to meet the requirement. Once the Goa Shipyard-sponsored liquid oxygen plant and the PM’s care fund plant becomes a reality at the district hospital, the issues relating to oxygen supply will no longer exists,” another official added.
