Two years of silence: Nurpur hospital’s Rs 2-crore oxygen plant lies defunct

A Rs 2.15 crore pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plant, installed at the 200-bedded (notified) Civil Hospital in Nurpur, has remained non-functional for the past two years due to the alleged apathy of the state Health and Family Welfare Department.

The plant developed a technical snag two years ago and instead of addressing the issue, the department shut it down indefinitely — causing immense hardship to patients, particularly those suffering from respiratory ailments who require continuous oxygen support.

Commissioned on January 22, 2022, under the PM CARES Fund, the plant had a capacity of 1,000 litres per minute and was set up to ensure 24x7 oxygen supply for patients. It was seen as a critical healthcare milestone during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially for residents of the lower Kangra region, who had faced severe oxygen shortages during the first and second waves. The initiative had been spearheaded by then local MLA and former Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania.

At the time of inauguration, every indoor bed in the emergency and casualty wards had access to a regulated and uninterrupted oxygen supply. However, since the plant’s closure, the hospital has been forced to rely on traditional oxygen cylinders for patient care.

The hospital sees an average daily OPD of around 600 patients, with 60 to 100 emergency cases, yet continues to suffer from neglect. Located along the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway, the hospital’s strategic location underscores the need for robust medical infrastructure. Unfortunately, the state government has also failed to fill long-pending vacancies of key specialists including a paediatrician, radiologist, dermatologist and ophthalmologist.

Dr Subhash Thakur, the recently appointed Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said he has written to higher authorities requesting funds for the plant’s repair and maintenance. He noted that his predecessors had also made similar requests, but no financial support has been sanctioned so far.

Meanwhile, former minister Rakesh Pathania has slammed the state government for its “continued apathy and insensitivity” towards public healthcare in this interstate border region.