Hyderabad: Oxygen therapy is proving to be useful in severe cases of COVID-19 in Telangana and the state government is planning to set up wards with direct oxygen supply to beds in the coronavirus wards at Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and Telangana Institute of Medical Science and Research.
Tenders have been floated inviting contractors to set up oxygen supply to hospital beds. It will take more than a month to equip the beds.
Presently, oxygen ports from large cylinders are being used at Gandhi Hospital and the King Koti hospital. In King Koti, patients have learnt to operate the oxygen lines themselves.
The only problem is the oxygen supply in view of the large demand. A senior government officer said the supply line was not consistent. “Only 5 per cent of the severe cases require ventilator support whereas the rest of them can be managed with oxygen therapy. Anticipating a rise in new cases, capacity building is now being carried out,” he told Deccan Chronicle.
It is against this backdrop that special oxygen wards are being planned in the hospitals. According to government sources, the decision is late, but has been made finally.
“To set up an oxygen plant in the hospital requires huge investment and land and it will take more than a month to be functional. The facility is available at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences but it is a non-Covid 19 hospital,” explained sources.
With patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19 advised home quarantine, supply of portable oxygen cylinders is being recommended by doctors. In Mumbai and Delhi, community hubs have been formed for patients to reach out for pulse oximeters and oxygen cylinders.
A senior family physician explained, “A back-up plan is needed as we will see a situation like Mumbai and Delhi. The availability of medical oxygen will help us save a lot of patients and if it has to be carried out at home we must be prepared to provide the same.”
