Odisha Fixes Modalities To Meet Medical Oxygen Demand Amid Covid Crisis

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has fixed modalities to meet the demand for medical Oxygen cylinders to be used in Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC), Dedicated Covid Hospitals (DCHs), and Covid Care Centres (CCCs) during the ongoing second wave of Covid pandemic.

In a letter, Additional Chief Secretary (health) Pradipta Mohapatra has directed all Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, Medical Superintendents of Government Medical Colleges, CDM and PHOs to implement the modalities and submit compliance report.

Following are the modalities fixed for filling up of empty oxygen cylinders

1. The Drugs Inspector of the district shall ensure timely dispatch of the empty cylinders to the assigned fillers and inform his counterpart at which the filler is stationed for timely filling of the cylinders.
2. The Drugs Inspector shall identify a collection point for 3 to 4 CCCs in consultation with the Medical Superintendents / CDM & PHOs and assign transport vehicles to each collection point.
3. The Medical Superintendents/CDM & PHOs shall engage vehicles for transportation of the Oxygen cylinders by utilizing existing vehicles or by hiring private vehicles following financial guidelines The details of these vehicles must be shared with the local Drugs Inspector for GPS tagging
4. The hiring charges can be met from Public Health Response Funds or any other suitable head from which transportation charges towards COVID-19 management are being currently met.