Oxygen concentrator bank set up for Covid patients

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, May 13

Amid an unprecedented surge in the Covid cases that have led to a high demand for oxygen, the district administration today set up an oxygen concentrator bank at the Red Cross Bhawan.

Starting a new initiative, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said around 30 oxygen concentrators have been kept in the bank and any Covid patient could take it for home use from the bank on the doctor’s prescription and guarantee of device’s functioning under his supervision.

Only after hospital’s prescription

• The one taking the oxygen concentrator to home has to pay a minimal daily rent of Rs200 to the administration and submit a refundable security of Rs5,000 to the Red Cross Society
• The DC said the concentrators would be given only after hospital's prescription and the hospital concerned has to ensure machine's operation under its monitoring, adding that the beneficiaries have to arrange for power backup for smooth and uninterrupted oxygen supply to the patients

Thori said the oxygen concentrator taker has to pay a minimal daily rent of Rs 200 to the administration and submit refundable security of Rs 5,000 to the Red Cross Society. The DC said the concentrators would be given only after hospital’s prescription and concerned hospital has to ensure machine’s operation under its monitoring adding that the beneficiaries have to arrange for power backup for smooth and uninterrupted oxygen supply to the patients.

He added that if demand exceeds the available stock, the patients can take this facility at the post-Covid recovery ward in the Civil Hospital. A 30-bed ward has been set up by the administration to facilitate patients requiring oxygen support, he said.

Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said an oxygen concentrator was a medical device that concentrates oxygen from ambient air and this machine captures and filters the air.

He said with the growing demand for life-saving gas, the concentrators can be useful in the treatment of patients in home isolation having mild symptoms and will be helpful to reduce the caseload on the hospitals. The needy patients can contact the Red Cross Society for concentrators at mobile number 9876502613 or control room number 0181-2224417.