JJ Hospital gasps for breath

For the past three days, low pressure in the central oxygen supply unit at the State-run JJ Hospital at Byculla has placed hospital authorities under high pressure.

Consequently, oxygen supply to patients has been reduced. The line in the unit supplies oxygen to all major sections of the hospital including the operation theatre, Critical care unit (CCU), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Intensive Critical Care Unit (ICCU) and Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) located in the main building.

Fearing for the life of patients, doctors in most of the departments have postponed all major surgeries that are expected to last for longer durations. "If we put a patient on general anaesthesia, he is dependent on oxygen supply. We can't take the risk of operating with less oxygen," said a senior doctor at the hospital.

"For the last two days, the supply has been low and that has affected surgeries," confirmed a source. "Patients who are on oxygen are not affected as much since the pressure can be adjusted according to the patient's need, but that's not possible during a surgery."

Sources in the hospital informed Sunday MiD DAY that minor technical snags have been frequent, but that the problem had got out of hand this time.

In May this year, a minor oxygen malfunction at the paediatric intensive care unit of the hospital had sent patients and staff in a tizzy. But no patients faced inconvenience due to the slightly-heightened oxygen flow that lasted for a couple of hours.

The JJ hospital authorities have approached engineers from the Bombay Oxygen Corporation Limited to tale care of the snag. They have also issued circulars to each department to keep a back-up of oxygen cylinders since repair work will have to continue till Saturday afternoon.

Dr T P Lahane, Dean of JJ hospital maintained that repair in the oxygen supply unit was part of routine maintenance of the supply machinery. "No patient has been affected and the pressure in the line is adequate. It's not affecting hospital services," he said.