A special control room has been set up comprising officials of the Joint Director of Health and Factories Inspector to monitor and manage usage of oxygen for COVID-19 patients in Madurai district, said Collector T. Anbalagan here on Thursday.
Addressing mediapersons after inspecting oxygen facilities available at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), the Collector said there were two private oxygen production units in the district. These units were working round-the-clock to provide oxygen to the optimum capacity to private and government hospitals. “In a meeting with these two companies, it was instructed that they must provide oxygen to hospitals without any discrimination. Currently they are providing oxygen based on their previous contracts with these hospitals,” he said. In addition, these two units supply oxygen to government hospitals in neighbouring districts, he added.
From Thoothukudi
Mr. Anbalagan said the district administration has asked for additional oxygen supply from other districts. “The Thoothukudi Collector has promised to supply oxygen to Madurai,” he said.
Many COVID-19 patients from neighbouring districts receive treatment at the GRH and other major private hospitals in Madurai. “Out of the 1,100 oxygen beds in GRH, nearly 400 are occupied by patients from the southern districts,” he said.
The special control room is monitoring the oxygen need in the hospitals in Madurai and divert oxygen supply to hospitals on a priority basis.
In GRH, around 1,000 out of 1,100 oxygen beds are occupied on a daily basis. "Discussions aere held regarding how to ramp up oxygen capacity and how to use it efficiently,” he said.
Compared to the first wave, more number of patients required oxygen support in the second wave. “Nearly 30% to 40% of the patients require oxygen support. But another 30% of the patients are eligible to go for home isolation,” the Collector said.
Triaging for all
Triaging is done for every positive patient to classify them as those with mild, moderate and severe infection. “Asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptoms are treated at COVID-19 Care Centre and currently only 30% of beds at these centres are occupied. The patients with moderate symptoms are treated at the COVID-19 Health Centres to reduce the burden on the GRH,” he said.
The Collector also inspected the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine in Thoppur.