New Delhi, March 27 The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday released the national guidelines on medical oxygen management.
The guidelines, released at a workshop held at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, aim to boost the infrastructure for medical oxygen, as well as to meet any surge in demands.
Medical oxygen is an essential clinical need for children and adults with a range of acute and chronic conditions, as well as for those undergoing surgery.
The release of the guidelines marks a significant step toward strengthening the country’s medical oxygen infrastructure and ensuring uniform best practices in oxygen management across healthcare facilities.
“It is critical to properly maintaining and utilising medical oxygen infrastructure so that demands for any surge capacities may be met promptly at the time of any exigencies,” said Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary at the event.
She also stressed the need for inculcating learnings from India’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The oxygen demand can rise substantially during emergencies, such as epidemics, pandemics like during Covid, and natural disasters.
The comprehensive guidelines provide a framework for the efficient procurement, storage, and administration of medical oxygen. It focuses on patient safety, capacity building, and emergency preparedness.
Meanwhile, the workshop also marked the launch of the National Capacity Building Programme on Oxygen Management. It will be led by AIIMS’ Department of Hospital Administration in collaboration with the Disaster Management Cell of the Health Ministry.
It aims to train around 200 master trainers across the country which in turn shall undertake capacity building of hospital administrators and medical officers across the country in proper handling and utilization of medical oxygen, reducing wastage and improving clinical outcomes.
“AIIMS will play a key role in spearheading the capacity-building programme,” said Prof. M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, while stressing the importance of training and awareness at all levels of healthcare.
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