The Ballari district administration has established a dedicated team to monitor oxygen supply and distribution. In addition, the team has been given the responsibility to ensuring that all Covid-19 patients have access to beds.
The team consists of four doctors who have been tasked with ensuring that all government healthcare facilities have ICU and ventilator facilities, in addition to ensuring the availability of oxygen and bed arrangements.
Dr Indrani, the Ballari district tuberculosis elimination officer said “Cases are surging across Ballari and we are doing our best 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”
She stated that the nodal officers would communicate with the team members, informing them of the need for oxygen, beds, ventilators, and other items. “We will make sure that all of the services they request are set up as soon as possible,” She added.
She mentioned that the team’s primary goal was to save the lives of those who were in critical condition. “These are people who are in dire need of oxygen and should be admitted to an ICU. Every two hours, our team will send a report to the deputy commissioner and the district health officer on the availability of oxygen. Oxygen will be distributed in an open and transparent manner.
If a shortage of oxygen is reported, we will make arrangements for it and reserve beds in the ICU for patients in critical condition,” Dr Indrani said, adding that there was enough oxygen and beds in Ballari for the time being.