New oxygen supply guidelines: Asthma patients worst sufferers

Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, April 30 Patients suffering from flu-like illnesses (FLI), asthma and cardiovascular diseases are the worst sufferers due to latest guidelines on supply of medical oxygen to healthcare centres as local private hospitals have started denying admission to them.

This situation follows after the civil administration, led by Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Ramvir Singh, virtually took over charge of the lone agency supplying oxygen in this region falling under Sangrur and Ludhiana districts.

Prabhdeep Singh Narangwal, Zila Parishad member and political secretary to member of Parliament from Fatehgarh Sahib, said: “Dr Amar Singh Boparai had taken up the issue with officials concerned in civil administration and Health Department and needful would be soon done to check harassment of non-Covid patients requiring oxygen in routine.”

Alleged ban on supply of medical oxygen to non-Covid healthcare centres and hospitals has forced owners and managers of private health facilities to refer their serious patients, including those suffering from asthma, cardiovascular ailments and flu-like illnesses, to other hospitals in Patiala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar.

Leaders of various organisations alleged that residents had been complaining about alleged denial by owners and managers of secondary and tertiary healthcare centres to admit patients suffering from even non-Covid ailments.

The administration, instead of rationalising supply of oxygen cylinders on the basis of requirement of various hospitals, has directed the local supplier to stop supplies to such health facilities and provide cylinders to only government hospitals at Mandi Ahmedgarh, Malerkotla and Sangrur.

Investigations further revealed that officials at oxygen units situated in other districts were reluctant to refill cylinders owned by local suppliers. However, majority of consumers and patients hailed from Ludhiana district. Steep demand by patients quarantined at homes and alleged wastage by unprofessional users had resulted in further scarcity of the lifesaving gas.

Subdivision office nodal officer Lovish Bansal confirmed that officials had taken stock of the situation regarding supply of medical oxygen to designated Covid hospitals situated in localities falling under Sangrur district. However, none of the healthcare centres in Mandi Ahmedgarh subdivision had been approved as Covid hospital.