KANPUR: There was confusion at the paucity of oxygen at the emergency block of Hallet Hospital on Thursday. The attendants were worried at this odd situation for the patients’ gulp of air started reducing at the intensive care unit. It was later known that the low pressure in the supply of the oxygen. It arose because of the decreasing quantity of the oxygen level in the cylinders.
Reading the gravity of the situation the junior doctors at the ICU came into action and arranged backup anyhow. Afterwards, cylinders were brought from orthopaedic ward and neuroscience centre.
As the oxygen plant had been set up behind the hospital emergency ward which requires as many as 130 cylinders. Three ICUs, emergency operation theatre, trauma OT, Post-operative wards require sufficient oxygen cylinders. There are 12-bed ICU in Medicine ward, 6-bed ICU in anaesthesia ward, 8-bed ICU in Neurosurgery, and 18-bed POP ward.
That is why the firm supplying the cylinders has been instructed to continue its cylindrical containers all the time. The oxygen cylinders number between 130 and 150 every day, as was reported.
It was also reported that the firm did not supply cylinders on Wednesday night. This caused low pressure of oxygen flow on Thursday morning and the patients admitted at the emergency ward and post-operative wards on the first floor began puffing.
The junior doctors informed about the worsening situation to emergency medical officer Dr Subodh Singh who in turn let the chief superintendent know of the matter. It was also reported that the company sent a vehicle with 50 cylinders on Wednesday night but it could not unload the cylinders on an excuse of road repairing.
Prof RK Mauraya, chief superintendent accepted lapse in this regard. He even talked of action against contractor looking after the plant and employees. A notice has been served to the supplier. If no satisfactory answer was received an FIR will be registered. There was indication of blacklisting the supplier.
The Medical College Principal Prof. Aarti Lalchandani said that there were 22 cylinders on hand in the backup, so as many as 16 cylinders were brought in use. She also told of registering FIR against the supplier if found responsible.
