2nd wave of Covid-19: Inadequate oxygen supply in hospitals

Dear Sir

Hospitals across the country struggled during the first wave of Covid-19 transmission due to a lack of central oxygen supply. Still now the hospitals are still relying on cylinder-based oxygen supply. As the rate of Covid-19 transmission is rising, giving credence to fears of a second wave, the efforts to arrange proper hospital treatment for infected people must be completed immediately and there is no scope to repeat mistakes.

It is important to mention that, cylinders cannot make up for the demand of centralised oxygen systems. Experts have long been stressing the need for uninterrupted oxygen supply at hospitals for critical Covid-19 patients. Putting emphasis on this, the prime minister on June 2 ordered that intensive care units (ICUs) be set up at all district hospitals. Subsequently, the health ministry had started taking steps to set up centralised oxygen supply systems at 79 district hospitals.





Since there is government directives and policy for establishing centralised oxygen supply systems, the authorities responsible must ensure installations of this system before it is too late.

Boni Amin
Over email