Terming the MP Shawait Malik’s statement for unnecessarydelay of setting up oxygen plants in State as shameful, the Health Minister Mr.Balbir Singh Sidhu asked him to instead of playing blame game, he should makepressure on GoI to soon install oxygen plants in Punjab.
Mr. Sidhu said that there is medical emergency in Punjaband even after repeated appeals of Punjab Government to increase the oxygenquota as COVID cases and Case Fatality Rate has rapidly increased day by day,GoI didn’t pay any heed to State requirement. He said that only 1 plant has been installed PSA (1000lpm) at Fridkotand commissioned in March 2021.
In spite of repeated reminders and requests made byPunjab Government, the 2 plants at GMCH Amritsar & Patiala are yet notinstalled by GOI.
Mr. Sidhu divulged that as desired by GoI, on October 12,2020, the demand for PSA plants in 3 medical colleges ( Amritsar, Patiala &Faridkot) was sent on the prescribed format on October 15, 2020 to be installedby GOI in 1st phase through Central Medical Services Society. He said that onNovember 2, 2020, Union Government issued the list of 162 PSA plants to beinstalled in the country which included these 3 plants in Punjab.
The state sent the site readiness certificates such asshed, platform, and genset, etc. on December 31, 2020, to GOI duly completing allrequired works he said adding that it is unfortunate that so far, only oneplant has been installed at Faridkot.
Mr. Sidhu said that it is learnt that the vendor forAmritsar and Patiala (Uttam air) hired by GoI backed out and the contract wasawarded to a new vendor Airox on April 17, 2021.
Notably, exercise is being done on war footing to coverall 50 bedded Govt hospitals with a PSA plant.