Keonjhar: Much to the apathy of the district administration, an oxygen plant set up at the district headquarters hospital here has been lying defunct since its inauguration.
Surprisingly, the medical authorities have allegedly been sitting pretty and attributed it to technical glitch.
There is a leakage in the plant and it cannot be made operational until the repair work is done, a medical staffer said.
Now, lakhs of rupees spent on the installation of the plant has gone down the drain.
Patients have to go through unwanted problems every day while the staffers engaged in the plant have been drawing their salary without doing any work.
Inadequate oxygen supply has been a major issue for patients here. Locals alleged that neither the state government nor the medical authorities have concern for the defunct plant.
Most of the time, patients have to return frustrated without getting facilities. For the last couple of months, oxygen cylinders have not been available to cater to the needs of the patients, it is alleged.
Worth mentioning, an oxygen plant with 960 litre/minute capacity was installed at Keonjhar DHH six months back. A private company had been given the tender.
But, thanks to the attitude of the negligent authorities, the plant has remained non-operational till now.
“Oxygen given to a patient was exhausted, but no staff came to supply fresh oxygen. The patient and his relatives had a tough time then,” another patient said while narrating the ordeal of an elderly person admitted to the hospital.
Hospital manager admitted that the oxygen plant was out of order.
PNN