O2 plants: Pvt hospitals in Panchkula fix new target

Amit Bathla

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Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 8

Major private hospitals in the city, which earlier cited space crunch as the reason for their failure to set up oxygen generation plants on their premises in the six-month period fixed by the state government, have now agreed to complete the task in fresh assurances given to the district administration.

By when

• Paras Hospital has promised to set up an oxygen plant by the end of January, while Alchemist and Ojas assured to do so by the first week of February.
• After the devastating second wave, the state government had asked private hospitals with 50-plus beds to set up their own oxygen plants within six months.

Paras Hospital has promised to set up the plant by the end of this month, while Alchemist Hospital and Ojas (owned by one entity) assured to do so by the first week of February. Even if these hospitals meet the new target, it will still be late, as the district is already witnessing an exponential surge in daily cases.

After the devastating second wave, the state government had asked private hospitals with 50-plus beds to set up their own oxygen plants within six months.

Deputy Commissioner Mahavir Kaushik said he continued to mount pressure on private hospitals to expedite the work. “After taking over the charge, I took stock of oxygen preparedness in the event of a third wave. I came to know from the Civil Surgeon about the failure of private hospitals to set up oxygen plants as ordered by the state government. On the issue, I took a meeting with representatives of these hospitals last week. As Covid cases continue to multiply in the district, I have told them to accelerate the pace of work.”

State Health Minister Anil Vij had yesterday conducted a surprise inspection at the Civil Hospital where he took stock of the PSA oxygen plant and other medical arrangements to tackle the third wave of the pandemic. Vij claimed that the state would not face an oxygen crisis as it did during the second wave.