To become self-reliant, PGI must have oxygen plant

OPEN HOUSE: Should the PGI set up its own medical oxygen generation plant?

Death Toll mainly due to oxygen shortage

The recent spate in deaths in this coronavirus pandemic is mainly on account of oxygen shortage. The government has been found lacking in regulating of the oxygen supply. Under such circumstances it is best to set up an oxygen generation plant at the PGI, which is an eminent medical institution of north India next only to AIIMS, New Delhi.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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Better to have own plant

According to the All India Industrial Gases Manufacturing Association industry is already been burdened with generation and supply of oxygen. Earlier, at the beginning of the pandemic 750 tonnes of oxygen was generated. Setting up of oxygen generation plants instead of dependence on medical oxygen could save many lives. Therefore, the PGI should go for the oxygen generation plant.

Charvi Tyagi, Chandigarh

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Profiteering has worsened situation

The PGI must set up its own medical oxygen generation plant instead of depending on private suppliers. The situation is going from bad to worse because of profiteering, black marketing and hoarding of medicines, equipment and paucity of the life-saving gas. If the PGI sets up its own generation unit, oxygen cylinders will be refilled at affordable prices.

Shobhna kalra, Panchkula

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Will save critical patients

The fact is that oxygen cylinders cannot reach every corner of the country. Hospitals with their own oxygen generating infrastructure can save critical patients. With rising curve of the second Covid wave the PGI must have its own oxygen generation plant. Even private hospitals must have their own oxygen plants to meet the present demand.

Vijay Malia, Chandigarh

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UT can have a plant of big capacity

It is pathetic to watch wailing relatives of Covid patients begging for oxygen cylinders. Many such patients have died due to non availability of the life-saving gas. Not only the PGI all big hospitals in government and private sector must have their own oxygen generation plants. Besides, the UT should have a high-capacity oxygen plant, linked to all major hospitals.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Mohali

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Can reduce expenditure

Time has come for the PGI and the GMCH-32 to have own medical oxygen generation plants. This will save lives of Covid and other critical patients. None will lose their loved ones because of the shortage of the medical oxygen. This will also reduce expenditure of the PGI and the GMCH-32 on gas. The saved amount can be utilised for other purposes.

Nitin Sud, Panchkula

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Outsourcing is better option

The PGIMER should continue to outsource oxygen supply to dependable private units. Running oxygen generation plant by a government institution is not viable due to high cost of operation, union culture and maintenance. Optimum utilisation of any plant is rarely achieved in public sector units. As such the PGI should not set up such plant on its premises.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

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PGI must follow AIIMS pattern

Union Health Ministry must ensure that the PGIMER does not lose its credibility and reputation just because it has no oxygen generation plant. The PGI authorities must approach the DRDO to install oxygen plant of the required capacity. Dependence on private plants for medical oxygen does not go well with the stature of the premier institute like the PGIMER.

LUTHRA, Chandigarh

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O2 plant should have been set up earlier

Chandigarhians are facing tough time due to shortage of the life-saving gas during the Covid pandemic. If not earlier, at least by now an esteemed institute like the PGI should have set up its own medical oxygen generation plant to reduce its dependence on private suppliers.

Pardeep Malhotra, Chandigarh

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Why look up to private suppliers?

The PGI is a premier institute of the country. Since the onset of the second wave of the pandemic there is shortage of oxygen all over country. Why to look up to other agencies/private generation units for supply of oxygen? The PGI administration should immediately install its own oxygen generation plant. Oxygen is a recurring requirement of any hospital.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

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Make oxygen plants mandatory

The present situation makes it further mandatory to have their own oxygen generation plants. Many patients have died in various hospitals due to shortage of oxygen during the last one month of the Covid pandemic. Premier hospitals like the PGI, Chandigarh, has been facing acute shortage of oxygen. People are running from pillar to post to get oxygen cylinders refilled. Now is the time to instruct all hospitals, including the PGI, to install oxygen generation plants.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Minhas (retd), Mohali

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A top priority for PGI

The PGI should have own its medical oxygen generation plant in order to cater to huge rush of patients from the tricity, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. It must be top priority of the PGI to generate own life-saving gas so that not a single patient loses life because of non-availability of oxygen.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon Chandigarh

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Firms must improve generation of oxygen

The PGI having its own oxygen generation plant may be proper solution to reduce difference between demand and supply of the gas, but it does not take into account overburden on the staff and resources, which are already stretched to the limit. Instead, the government should ensure that companies improve generation of oxygen and supply to hospitals never is never delayed.

Bubby Soin, Chandigarh

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Should have necessary infra

The PGI, Chandigarh, is a premier medical institute. In the midst of the covid crisis, the numbers of covid patients increased and there is an extra need of life- saving gas. Doctors are forced to beg to other administrations or states to provide oxygen. There is an urgent need that the PGI should have all the necessary infrastructure to be self-sufficient in medical oxygen generation.

Suresh Verma, Chandigarh

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Should employ latest technology

Lives lost during the pandemic leave no option, but to have medical oxygen generation facility at the PGIMER, Chandigarh. This will reduce/avoid costs incurred due to distress transport of oxygen by road, rail or sea. The proposed plant should employ latest world class technology for in-built flexibility vis-a-vis augmenting production on ad hoc basis as and when required.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

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Sad state of affairs

It is sad that the PGIMER administration failed to set up its own medical oxygen generation plant when in September 2020 the Centre sent a proposal and asked the institute to allot land in its complex for the same. The whole expenditure of this project was to be borne by the Centre. The PGIMER remained silent till date and now its begging for medical oxygen.

Gurpreet S Malhotra, Chandigarh

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A matter of prime importance

PGI is prime medical set up for needs of common people. It is paramount for the PGI to have its own oxygen generation plant rather than depend on private suppliers. Producing oxygen is integral part of the PGI. Besides, the PGI can also supply oxygen to hospitals in the tricity during pandemic. It will also stop black marketing of medical oxygen.

Col TBS Bedi (retd) Mohali

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Centre should give nod without any delay

The PGI should set up its own oxygen generation plant to reduce shortage of the life-saving gas. The institution is known to provide best healthcare facilities with experienced doctors and research work. To combat the present Covid situation, the Central Government should give a nod to the PGI to set up oxygen plant.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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High footfall of patients

Thousands of patients come to the PGI from different parts of India and even from other countries for treatment. Oxygen is necessary for saving lives of patients. These days demand for medical oxygen has gone up manifold due to the pandemic. In the present situation the PGI must set up an oxygen generation plant on its premises.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali

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Supply oxygen via dedicated pipeline

The PGI should install oxygen generation plant. Every hospital should have its own oxygen plant to reduce dependence on suppliers. Moreover, pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants employ a technology that absorbs nitrogen from air to concentrate oxygen. The oxygen generated can be supplied straight to the site of use either through a dedicated pipeline or compressed to fill cylinder.

Parampreet Kaur, Chandigarh

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Uninterrupted supply

The PGI should set up in-house oxygen generation plant to meet the shortage of the gas instead of relying on private vendors. The plant will supply oxygen uninterrupted and round-the-clock oxygen to patients at the PGI. If a reputed hospital like PGI is does not have oxygen generation plant then who else will have it?

Simran Sidhu, Chandigarh

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Shows lack of foresightedness

The PGI, Chandigarh, is one of the renowned hospitals in this region. It’s surprising that till date it does not have its own medical oxygen generation plant. This clearly shows lack of foresightedness of the past and current PGI administration towards creating its own infrastructure. It is high time that the PGI and other big hospitals have their own medical oxygen generation plants.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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No need for oxygen generation plant

The PGIMER should not set up its own oxygen generation plant as the situation will not remain the same forever. The PGIMER should not be burdened with another set of responsibility outside their specialisation. To combat medical oxygen shortage Chandigarh can have its own or private oxygen generation plant with centrally controlled distribution system.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

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Reduce dependence on other states

Medical oxygen is used by the PGI, GMSH-16, GMCH-32 and Covid Hospital, Sector 48, and various private hospitals in the city. Recently, GMCH-32 installed its own oxygen generation plant, which is able to meet around 50 per cent of its own demand. As present, the PGI is solely dependent on oxygen supplies from a plant in Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab. The PGI must have its own oxygen generation plant to reduce its dependency on other states.

Sanjay Chopra, Chandigarh

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Can increase revenue

The PGI is a premier medical institute. Recently, the demand for medical oxygen increased dramatically at the PGI due to spurt in Covid cases. There is a dire need to set up a medical oxygen generation plant at the PGI to meet its own demand. Surplus oxygen can be supplied to other hospitals in cylinders. It’ll also add to revenue of the PGI.

RPS Chopra, Chandigarh

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Shows lack of responsibility

Oxygen generation plants are essential and it is irresponsible not to have them. The PGI should set up oxygen generation plant at the earliest. It will make the premier healthcare institution self reliant. Onus of saving patient's life lies in hands of doctors and they are dependent on facilities available at hospital.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

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QUESTION

UT is vaccinating only 1,000 beneficiaries between 18 and 45 years per day. Should Chandigarh open more vaccination slots for the 18+ group to speed up the inoculation drive?

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