Dedicated team in Ballari to ensure supply of oxygen

BALLARI: Against the backdrop of distressing reports of shortage of oxygen and beds across the state, which is reeling under an alarming surge in new Covid-19 cases, the Ballari district administration has constituted a dedicated team to streamline the supply and distribution of oxygen. The team has also been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that all Covid-19 patients are provided beds.
The team comprises four doctors, who, in addition to ensuring supply of oxygen and arrangement of beds, have been asked to make ensure all government healthcare establishments have ICU and ventilator facilities.
The team is headed by Ballari district tuberculosis elimination officer Dr Indrani, who pointed to the disturbingly high number of people dying owing to lack of oxygen across Karnataka. “Cases are surging across Ballari and we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure sufficient facilities. The district administration has already appointed nodal officers for each hospital. But this is the first time a dedicated team has been constituted to look into the supply of oxygen, and ICU infrastructure,” Dr Indrani told TOI.
She said that the nodal officers would liaise with the members of the team, keeping them abreast of the requirement of oxygen, beds, ventilators, et al. “We will ensure that all the facilities they requisition for are arranged for without any delay,” Dr Indrani added.
The primary objective of the team, she said, was to save the lives of those the condition of whom was critical. “These are people who desperately need oxygen and need to be housed in an ICU. Our team will submit a report on the availability of oxygen to the deputy commissioner and the district health officer every two hours. Distribution of oxygen will be carried out in a transparent manner. If we find there is shortage of oxygen, we will arrange for it, and reserve beds in the ICU for patients in a critical condition,” said Dr Indrani, adding that there was enough stock of oxygen and sufficient beds, for the time being, in Ballari.
Dr Srinivas, from the Ballari Trauma Centre, Dr Anil Reddi, from the district hospital, and Dr Kotresh are the other members of the team.