Set-up 5 years ago, oxygen plant in Kulgam hospital yet to be made operational

In 2015, after years of wait, the authorities installed an oxygen plant at district hospital (DH) Kulgam with the promise to bring an end to referral of patients with pulmonary ailments to Srinagar.

More than five years later, the facility is yet to be madeoperations, highlighting the negligence of the hospital authorities.

This negligence has come to the fore at a time when thedoctors have been insisting that different facilities including ventilators andoxygen plants were crucial in the fight against the coronavirus infection.

A senior doctor said the plant was tested for trial somethree years ago. “As the plant remains non-functional, the hospitaladministration is unable to shift the medical wards, surgical wards, causalityand other wards to the new building inaugurated a decade ago,” the doctor said.

He said the respiratory ailment and pneumonic patients wereat times being managed by oxygen concentrators, but preferably referred toAnantnag or Srinagar hospitals.

Medical Superintendent, Dr Muzafar Ahmad confirmed the plantwas lying defunct. He said the facility would be made functional soon.

Another doctor said the hospital has not hired the trainedmanpower to run the plant.

Other hospitals across south Kashmir depict a similar tale.The district hospital at Shopian is without any oxygen plant while in nearbyPulwama, the plant which was made operational last year, has inadequate oxygenpoints connected to the wards.

Similarly, in the 250-bedded Anantnag hospital, doctorssaid, only 82 beds have the oxygen supplying points.