Centre launches programme to train healthcare workers for rational utilisation of medical oxygen

With the aim to train healthcare workers for judicious use of medical oxygen, the Centre on Wednesday launched National Oxygen Stewardship Programme.

The programme was launched by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar at AIIMS, New Delhi.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the initiative aims to empower all healthcare workers engaged in Oxygen management and administration with the essential knowledge and skills to ensure rational utilisation and avoid any wastage of medical Oxygen, especially in resource constraint settings.

It envisages identifying and training at least one "Oxygen Steward" in each district across the country. These trained professionals would be responsible for leading the training on Oxygen therapy and management in their respective districts and also support audit of oxygen delivery and preparedness for a surge scenario.

Addressing the occasion, Dr Pawar said, "Oxygen is life-saving and critically important in the treatment of several illnesses, not just COVID-19. The country witnessed an increased oxygen demand during the pandemic. Hence, the rational use of oxygen has become mandatory and need of the hour."

Highlighting the Centre's efforts in ensuring increased oxygen availability, the union minister said that the government has sanctioned more than 1,500 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants of which 1,463 have been commissioned which include 1,225 PSA plants which have been installed and commissioned under PM CARES Fund in every district of the country.

The minister informed that States have also been asked to install PSA plants in public health facilities and facilitate the installation of PSA plants in private health facilities.

Explaining the Oxygen Stewardship Programme, Dr Pawar emphasised that it will "enhance the skills of healthcare workers in Oxygen therapy with necessary focus on essential knowledge and skills."

She said the programme will also train participants to avoid wastage or overuse of oxygen in resource constraint settings including issues faced during the oxygen crisis, learnings, and averting further crisis situations.

( With inputs from ANI )

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