Div Com (J) reviews status of Medical oxygen supply in Jammu divn

Officers asked to ensure rationalization of demand & supply, DMs to ensure green corridor for vehicles carrying oxygen cylinders
Jammu: Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer Saturday convened a meeting of health department to review the status of availability of medical oxygen supply to Government Hospitals across the Jammu division in view of the Covid-19.
MD NMH apprised the Divisional Commissioner about the availability, demand and supply position of oxygen cylinders in various health care institutions of the Jammu division.
Pertinently, the Divisional Commissioner has already constituted a committee headed by Controller Drug, J&K, and consisting of Joint Controller Legal Metrology Jammu, Controller Stores Directorate Health services Jammu and Joint Director Industries and Commerce to seek reports of production by 08 private medical oxygen supply firms operating in Industrial Estates of Jammu/Samba/Kathua/Udhampur and to ensure the supply of oxygen to various districts.
The Divisional Commissioner further directed the committee to rationalize the demand and supply of cylinders to various health care institutions according to the requirement and occupancy. Already the diversion of oxygen for any non medical/ Industrial purposes has been prohibited by the Divisional Administration.
The Divisional Commissioner also directed the DCs concerned to ensure that the empty cylinders in the districts be filled on priority and timely. DCs were also directed to conduct regular visits and check the medical oxygen supply agencies and ensure 24×7 power supplies in these oxygen manufacturing units. The Divisional Commissioner has directed the concerned District Magistrates to periodically review the same in view of the ongoing surge in Covid-19 cases and to facilitate the movements of vehicles carrying oxygen cylinders.
The Div Com also reviewed in detail the status of Oxygen Generation Plants which are to be installed in 17 health care facilities across the Jammu division. The concerned officers apprised the Div Com about the present status of each plant. It was informed that work on all the Oxygen Generation Plants is in progress and most of these would start functioning within fixed timelines.
The Divisional Commissioner directed the DCs to monitor and expedite the Civil and Power supply related works on Oxygen Generation Plants in their respective districts and ensure their timely completion to cater the demand of oxygen.
“The upcoming Oxygen Generation Plants will help in augmenting bed capacities in the districts for successful treatment of Covid-19 positive patients”, the Div Com said.
The meeting was MD NHM, Yasin Choudhary; Director Health Jammu, Dr Renu Sharma; Chief Engineer PWD, besides senior functionaries of Industries & Commerce, Legal Metrology, Drug Control, PWD, and other concerned while Deputy Commissioners along with Principals of GMCs, CMOs and Medical Superintendents of Jammu division attended the meeting through video conferencing.