Vijayawada: Hospitals refuse to install oxygen plants

Vijayawada: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded the government to withdraw the GO 57 which was issued directing the private hospitals with more than 50 beds to install captive oxygen plants and keep adequate oxygen cylinders.

The government in its GO 57 stated that the registration of the private hospitals will be cancelled if the hospitals don't comply with the orders and install the oxygen plants.

Significantly, IMA's objection comes when hundreds of patients of patients had died due unavailability of oxygen at hospitals during the second Covid wave in the State. People had spent lakhs of rupees just to arrange oxygen cylinders for their dear ones suffering from Covid and other ailments.

At the same time the hospitals were punished for overcharging the helpless patients in the crisis. And now, when the State government has taken a step to ensure availability of oxygen in every hospital, they are refusing to install oxygen plants or arranging cylinders which are need of the hour.

Addressing the media conference at the IMA hall here on Thursday, IMA state president (elect) C Srinivasa Raju that the GO related to the installation of plants is illogical, impractical and unnecessary. He said the IMA was bewildered with the GO and strongly opposed the orders.

He further said the government took the arbitrary decision without consulting the major stakeholders of the medical fraternity in the State. He said the government issued orders to install oxygen plants in the hospitals, which have more than 50 beds. He felt the GO is burdensome to the hospitals and very expensive.

Andhra Pradesh Private Nursing Homes and Hospitals Association (APNA), Andhra Pradesh Specialty Hospitals Association (ASHA), and the Aarogyasri Network Hospitals Association of Andhra Pradesh (ANHAAP) have extended their support and solidarity with the IMA in this regard. The representatives of these associations participated in the press meet at the IMA hall and demanded that the government immediately withdraw GO 57 or amend the orders.

ANHAAP president B Narendra Reddy observed that the government should have brought only Covid hospitals under the purview of the GO 57. Narendra Reddy said installation of oxygen plants is very expensive and felt that after the Covid pandemic ends the plants will have no use. He further said 90 percent of the hospitals in the State are small and run by single doctor or couple of doctors.

He felt that the government should give some more time on installation of plants or consult the stakeholders before releasing the GO 57.

APNA general secretary Dr. P. Srinivas, IMA general secretary Dr. G. Nanda Kishore, IMA finance secretary Dr M Subhash Chandra Bose and others also spoke.