Monitoring oxygen availability, no reason to panic: Mohali DC

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 22

Concerned over the message being circulated on the social media by a Mohali-based company, the district administration on Thursday said it was an old message as the company was not extending or supporting any supply of free oxygen to home isolated patients.

Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said they took up the issue with Hitech Industries Limited, Mohali, and the company had informed that it was an old message. The company, as of now, was not extending or supporting any supply of oxygen to patients in home isolation.

Dayalan stated this after a review meeting held here today to assess the Covid surge management in the district. He said effective measures were afoot for prevention, treatment and mitigation of second surge of Covid-19. Refuting the need for oxygen cylinders for patients in home Isolation, he said self- medication was not recommended. If fall in oxygen level was observed, the patient must be hospitalised without any delay. Moreover, home supply of oxygen cylinders might lead to hoarding of cylinders.

Dayalan said: “We are constantly monitoring the availability of oxygen in each hospital having dedicated Covid care blocks/beds. As of now, there was sufficient oxygen available with each hospital for Covid and non-Covid patients”.

He said some hospitals flagged the need for portable cylinders for patients to be taken for scanning/tests, which had been successfully resolved. He reassured people that there was no reason to panic as requirement and utilisation of every litre of medical oxygen gas in the district was being closely monitored.

He said several private hospitals in the district had dedicated 50 to 75 per cent of their health infrastructure to Covid care whereby they require additional manpower to cope up with the pressure of increased number of beds for Covid patients. He said this calls for support from nursing students who could work, learn and earn by rendering services to these hospitals. So, all nursing students desirous of assisting in Covid care might, through the head of their institution, covey their consent to the district administration.